Bears have the defense, but quarterback problems loom

With Nick Foles and Mitchell Trubisky owning headlines this summer, one of them needs to step up and lead the Chicago Bears to the postseason.

Best-case scenario

This has to be centered around an elite defense and having quality quarterback play. As for the latter, the Bears desperately need either Mitchell Trubisky to take a late leap, or for Nick Foles to rediscover his vintage form. If either of those things happen, Chicago contends in the NFC North and perhaps wins the division.

Worst-case scenario

Trubisky has no confidence and gets benched. Foles, who has yet to finish a 16-game season healthy is once again ailed by injuries due to a woeful offensive line. A mentally broken Trubisky has to play out the string for a team that has a defense so good they won just enough to be out of the top QB running in the 2021 draft.

Biggest offseason move

Foles or Robert Quinn. Bears fans will hope it’s Quinn, who turns this great defense into a historic unit. However, the play of Foles could make or break the entire team in bigger ways than Quinn.

Quinn looked excellent with the Dallas Cowboys last year and if he can hold off Father Time, he is going to be a great partner alongside Khalil Mack rushing off the edge.

Draft pick who makes the big impact

Jaylon Johnson is banged up and may miss Week 1. However, if he is not starting opposite Kyle Fuller by the end of 2020, then something went awfully wrong for the top 50 pick from Utah.

A sleeper to watch for is Darnell Mooney, who could unseat Ted Ginn by the end of 2020 as well.

Overall expectations

The Bears went with the safest and least-threatening quarterback to the starting status of Mitch Trubisky. They also completely failed to address the offensive line. For every ounce of confidence the defense gives you, the offense rips most of it way with questions at most positions.

Unfortunately with the line in its current state, a non-mobile Foles is in as much trouble as a confidence-voided Trubisky. Still, the defense is going to get better, albeit likely somewhere between 2018 and ’19. That is good enough for seven or eight wins, but may not win the division.

The upside is there for Chicago to cause some problems and maybe make the playoffs, but in the loaded NFC, the Bears aren’t a true contender.