On this short pod, Jeff discusses why this training camp opening is different from all over training camp openings.
Short Pod: Training Camp Begins. So Do High Expectations. [AUDIO]
On this short pod, Jeff discusses why this training camp opening is different from all over training camp openings.
#99 is back!
We have signed Aaron Lynch to a one-year deal. 🐻⬇️ pic.twitter.com/GGcGPnoHCH
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 1, 2019
Lynch isn’t a great player but very few teams have three guys on the edge who are great players. What Lynch provides is depth at one of the three most important positions in the sport. And with pass rush being the club’s signature strength in 2018, a drop-off should not be expected in 2019.
This signing also continues the Ryan Pace trend of solving depth problems in free agency to create flexibility in the draft. It’s a smart move by a suddenly smart team.
That’s all I have to say on the matter. It’s fucking April.
Chicago’s defense was awesome in 2018, leading the NFL in points allowed, turnovers forced, touchdowns scored, and passer rating against. They also finished third in yards and sacks and were generally the best defense in the NFL by a wide margin. Their play propelled the Bears to a 12-4 finish, NFC North title, and the franchise’s first playoff berth in eight years.
It’s hard to expect much improvement from that unit in 2019. In fact, they’re almost certainly not going to repeat that level of dominance. So when I write that I expect the Bears to improve in 2019 and be one of the top Super Bowl contenders, that must mean I expect it to happen because of the offense.
Unlike the defense, there is plenty of room for improvement on that side of the ball. Chicago had a pretty mediocre offense in 2018. They finished:
Outside of points per game – which was likely aided by all the turnovers and defensive touchdowns – the offense was pretty consistently below average in most important metrics. So why am I so confident the offense will improve next year, even though they probably won’t be making many significant personnel changes?
To put it simply: NFL history strongly suggests that significant improvement is coming.
Since Ryan Pace showed up in 2015, there has been nearly complete roster turnover, with only Kyle Long, Charles Leno, Sherrick McManis, and Pat O’Donnell remaining from the previous regime. Every single offseason has seen significant changes, with a host of prominent players leaving and a sizable new batch of faces coming in.
Consequently, Bears fans are used to offseasons of sweeping change. But that pattern should end in 2019. To understand why, let’s look at who is already under contract on both sides of the ball.
Key players under contract: QB Mitchell Trubisky, RB Jordan Howard, RB Tarik Cohen, WR Allen Robinson, WR Taylor Gabriel, WR Anthony Miller, WR Javon Wims, TE Trey Burton, TE Adam Shaheen, LT Charles Leno, LG James Daniels, C Cody Whitehair, RG Kyle Long
Notable free agents: RT Bobby Massie, Eric Kush
Possible Cap Casualties: RG Kyle Long, TE Dion Sims
Chicago’s offense is young and locked-in for the next two years. Nobody on this list except Kyle Long is over 28 years old, and over half of these players are still on rookie deals. 2018 should see the best offense the Bears have had since 2013 (not exactly stiff competition) and there’s every expectation at this point that the same group returning basically intact in 2019 should be even better.
