ESPN: Bears have 'not quite' improved roster around Fields originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
One question emerges among the rest when thinking about the upcoming season for the Chicago Bears; did the front office sufficiently add pieces to help Justin Fields thrive?
"So after acquiring WR Chase Claypool at the trade deadline last year, they got DJ Moore from Carolina in the trade for the No. 1 pick in the draft," Dan Graziano wrote for ESPN. "They signed guard Nate Davis from Tennessee in free agency and selected tackle Darnell Wright with the 10th pick in the draft. They still plan to lean a bit on a couple of the young linemen they drafted last year, and Cole Kmet emerged throughout last season as a key playmaker at tight end.
"The answer to this question, in the big picture, is probably along the lines of 'not quite.' But Chicago has added enough pieces that Fields should have avenues to show the kind of improvement this year that leads to sustainable long-term success as long as the Bears continue to make him their priority while building out their roster."
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As Graziano summarizes, the Bears made significant moves this offseason. Some he didn't mention include defensive tackles Gervon Dexter Jr. and Zacch Pickens, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, running back Roschon Johnson and wide receiver Tyler Scott.
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They also added pristine linebackers T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds, prying them away in free agency from the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills, respectively. Andrew Billings, Rasheem Green and DeMarcus Walker also added to the defensive line in free agency.
It goes without saying the Bears' roster is already better than last season's. Luke Getsy and the Bears' offense finished 23rd in the league last year. Meanwhile, their defense finished last in the league, allowing the most points per contest during the 2023 season (27.2).
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Still, the Bears' ceiling this season remains unknown. They made a multitude of moves this offseason, providing the difficult task of pinning their outlook for next season. How far can the Bears go with Justin Fields and their new and improved roster?
One of the x-factors, if not the biggest, is Fields' improvement in the passing game. While he's excelled in the run game, he's bottom tier by NFL standards in the passing game. Over the first two seasons of his career, he has just over 4,000 yards to his name, along with 24 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.
What is Fields working on this offseason to improve his arm?
"Just being more consistent with my quick game stuff," Fields told ChicagoBears.com. "I feel like down the field I'm pretty accurate. Just being more consistent with getting the ball out faster, being more accurate, giving my wide receivers, my running backs, tight ends a better chance to catch the ball and run for extra yards. I'm focusing pretty hard on that this offseason."
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