The Chicago Bears more than any other team in the NFL would have been delighted to see the Green Bay Packers select Aaron Rodgers’ heir apparent in the 2020 Draft.
Rodgers has tormented the Bears in his 24 appearances, boasting a 19-5 record, including a triumph in the 2010 NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field. The 36-year-old has been the difference in the NFC North, handing the Packers the edge in clutch moments that have been defining in the era of disappointment for the Bears.
However, there could be light at the end of the tunnel as Green Bay’s hierarchy made the decision to select Jordan Love with the 26th pick in the 2020 Draft. The Bears along with the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings have been in this situation before.
All three teams were forced to suffer through the reign of Brett Favre before he passed on the mantle to Rodgers. The NFC North will be desperately hopeful that Love does not continue the trend of successful quarterbacks from Titletown. Chicago has to be in a position to capitalize when the transition occurs, which could come sooner than expected if Rodgers follows recent quarterback moves – see Tom Brady to the Buccaneers and Philip Rivers to the Colts. The Bears’ opening could even come in 2020, and there will be value to be found on them to win the NFC North with the best betting sites in the region of 4/1 with 888sport among others, which could be worthwhile should Matt Nagy’s men spring a surprise next season.
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Chicago are in quarterback purgatory themselves facing a decision over the future of Mitchell Trubisky. Nick Foles has been added to provide competition, although neither he nor Trubisky has staked a claim to become a quality starter in the league, sustaining excellence over a 16-game term. Foles’ Super Bowl MVP performance for the Philadelphia Eagles against the New England Patriots two years ago suggests that he is capable in short bursts, especially on the big stage. If he connects with Nagy and delivers displays of that calibre on a consistent basis then the Bears will be set to become perennial contenders in the NFC for at least the next five years.
The offense remains a work in progress. Nagy and Ryan Pace have collected a litany of tight ends, signing Jimmy Graham on a three-year deal along with selecting Cole Kmet in the second round of the 2020 Draft. Graham’s best days are long behind him, but he could become a valuable foil for Kmet in his development along with former second-round pick
Adam Shaheen. Foles utilized Zach Ertz to great effect during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run. Providing him or Trubisky with a valuable safety net could jolt the offence into gear.
Allen Robinson was exceptional in the 2019 season, returning to the level of four years ago when he was selected to the Pro Bowl. The Bears lived and died by his production with little else to work with down the field. Anthony Miller was solid, but Nagy will want to see greater development out of the third-year wideout. Riley Ridley may also benefit from more playing time after a quiet rookie term as he was squeezed out at the bottom of the depth chart.
Nagy made his name coordinating the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense that punched above their weight with Alex Smith at quarterback. They’ve since taken their system to new heights with Patrick Mahomes, and although no one will be expecting the same levels out of Foles or Trubisky. A semblance of the Chiefs in 2017 would be a step in the right direction, especially with the quality of the Bears’ defense.
There is a lot of talent on the Bears’ defense, but they cannot carry the fortunes of the team on their own. The San Francisco 49ers showed in Super Bowl LIV that even a dominant defense can be exposed if they are not supported sufficiently. All eyes are on Nagy and an intense battle between Foles and Trubisky to determine who will emerge as the starting quarterback for the 2020 campaign. With Green Bay’s quarterback situation and Minnesota’s aging defense, there will be a huge opportunity for the Bears to seize the NFC North, and it’s one that can they can ill afford not to take.
