Chicago Bears Offensive Analysis

Where Are They Right Now?

The Chicago Bears offense has looked atrocious so far this season without sugarcoating it. Through six games, the offense has been one of the worst in the league by any measure, resulting in a 2-4 record. According to ESPN, they are currently ranked 28th in the league in offensive yards per game and 31st in points per game. If you look at how the collection of players has played individually, they are graded by PFF as the 29th-best offense in the league. They just haven’t been good so far by several different measures, so let’s look at why that is.

The “Franchise” Quarterback

Several different factors play into how the Chicago Bears offense can perform this badly, all starting with the quarterback. Justin Fields is still a young quarterback that has infinite potential in his second year, but he simply needs to be better. He has been under A LOT of pressure this season without much help from the receivers, but he has also been inaccurate at times and even shown a lack of confidence. Fields shows his inaccuracy by being over 10 percent under expected completion percentage, at 54.8 percent (according to next-gen stats). He also shows his lack of confidence in his arm by having the second-longest time to throw in the league. As I said, he has infinite potential but has a long way to go. As a Bears fan, I still think he’s the guy and hope that GM Ryan Poles feels the same way.

The Supporting Cast: Offensive Line

Despite the Chicago Bears having numerous deficiencies on offense, new GM Ryan Poles decided not to target additions very heavily on that side of the ball. I don’t mind the moves, as I think that just adding talent, regardless of position, is more sustainable for success than selecting certain positions regardless of talent. The Bear’s offensive line is looking like one of the worst in the league and is allowing pressure at one of the highest rates in the league. The offensive line has a solid trio of young talent with Teven Jenkins, Braxton Jones, and Larry Borom, but they all grade around the mid-60s (which is solid) and are replaceable.

The Supporting Cast: Wide Receivers

In addition to the offensive line, the receivers are creating the least separation of any team in the league. Darnell Mooney has been a solid receiver and could be in the plans for the future of the offense, but they need to improve at the position. Mooney has been graded at 65 by PFF for the season and is still 25 years old. Equanimeous St. Brown has also graded around 65 and is only 26 years old, so he could be a solid piece going forward, given his athleticism. The Bears have faced man coverage defense 33 percent of the time this season, which ranks as the 12th-highest, according to PFF. Teams playing man coverage against them show that opposing teams simply don’t think that Bear’s receivers can separate.

How They Get Better?

With the Chicago Bears’ offense seeing tremendous success in the running game, they have something they can lean on. Fields is one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the league and currently ranks third in rushing attempts by quarterbacks (behind only Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson) with 54. Most of these rushes have been out-of-structure scrambles, and I want to see offensive coordinator Luke Getsy get more creative in the running game for Fields. Getsy can also give more touches to backup running back Khalil Herbert, as he has been graded by PFF at 71, compared to David Montgomery (starting running back) with a 62. The Chicago Bears offense is in a rough spot, but these things may be able to help a bit. Fields certainly needs to be more confident in his arm as well.

Looking Forward

The Bears hopefully have a bright future with Justin Fields and some other pieces but need to improve and set Fields up for success. They are set to have a league-leading $106 million in cap space in 2023, so they will have the resources to do so. The Bears also have their first-round pick for the first time since 2018, and it should be very high in the draft. They could use this pick on one of the talented receivers in the draft and try to bolster their offensive line later.

Final Thoughts

The Chicago Bears offense has looked horrible this season, but I like some of the pieces that they have, including the most important: the franchise quarterback. Hopefully, GM Ryan Poles can add some talent to make this a high-powered unit in the future.

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