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NFL power rankings: Saints, Chargers lead way into 2019

By Russell S. Baxter

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 20: New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) and New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) talk during a TV timeout during the NFC Championship Football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the New Orleans Saints on January 20, 2019 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 20: New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) and New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) talk during a TV timeout during the NFC Championship Football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the New Orleans Saints on January 20, 2019 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, IL – JANUARY 06: Khalil Mack #52 of the Chicago Bears rushes against Jason Peters #71 of the Philadelphia Eagles during an NFC Wild Card playoff game at Soldier Field on January 6, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. The Eagles defeated the Bears 16-15. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – JANUARY 06: Khalil Mack #52 of the Chicago Bears rushes against Jason Peters #71 of the Philadelphia Eagles during an NFC Wild Card playoff game at Soldier Field on January 6, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. The Eagles defeated the Bears 16-15. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

57. . . . Chicago Bears. 10. team

2019 Key Additions: The reigning NFC North champions weren’t very busy during the draft this year and a look at their free-agent moves by comings and goings shows quite a bit of overhaul by this club. Of course, perhaps the biggest loss by Matt Nagy’s team was defensive coordinator Vic Fangio being named the head coach of the Denver Broncos. As for the new faces, the Chicago secondary added a pair of veterans in cornerback Buster Skrine and safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. General manager Ryan Pace did not have either a first- or second-round pick this year and would eventually added depth to the backfield with the third-round selection of David Montgomery (3-Iowa State).

Offseason Review: A year ago, these “Monsters of the Midway” finished third in the league in fewest total yards allowed per game and first against the run. The Bears also led the NFL with 36 takeaways and led by Khalil Mack, racked up 50 sacks. But can the Chicago offense and third-year quarterback Mitch Trubisky take the next step and elevate their games? The departure of Fangio (replaced by Chuck Pagano) is obviously a big loss for a club that relied heavy on big plays from the defense. And does Nagy’s ground game, led by Tarik Cohen, have enough to absorb the loss of traded workhorse Jordan Howard?

Next: No. 9

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