4 teams that can win Super Bowl 59 in 2024 NFL free agency

Don't sleep on the Chicago Bears as 2024's biggest riser

Call me a homer, call me crazy, I don't care. Just don't call me after the Bears win the Super Bowl, because I won't be picking up. Including Chicago on this list may seem to be a stretch, but no team is better positioned to go from worst to first than the Bears.

Everyone knows about the draft capital that the Bears have to work with, but the team is also among the league leaders in cap space. If Caleb Williams can live up to the hype, the sky is the limit for this team, even in Year One.

GM Ryan Poles has found late-round gems in the draft, such as Tyrique Stevenson, Braxton Jones, and Roschon Johnson. He also hasn't been afraid to take big swings in the trade market. In some cases he's struck out, like with the Chase Claypool deal, while in others, such as the Montez Sweat trade, he's hit a home run.

Matt Eberflus has been much maligned, but he engineered a second-half defensive turnaround last year that looked like the real thing. Jaylon Johnson has been signed to a long-term extension, and the defense as a whole is young and only going to keep getting better. Adding a lineman like Christian Wilkins or Danielle Hunter would only hasten that development.

Even if the Bears draft Caleb Williams and he lives up to expectations, the offense needs work, but that's where free agency comes in. Many of the top free agent wide receivers have been tagged or extended by their current teams (like Tee Higgins, Mike Evans, and Michael Pittman Jr.), but there are still difference-makers out there. Calvin Ridley, Marquise Brown, and KJ Osborn all make sense, depending on how much the Bears are willing to spend.

Chicago has just added De'Andre Swift to its backfield on a three-year, $24 million deal. With Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson already in place, Poles can shift his focus elsewhere. The offensive line could still use some help, even after trading a fifth-round pick for Bills lineman Ryan Bates.

The entire Bears line dealt with injuries last year, so depth is a major concern. Robert Hunt of the Dolphins, Kevin Zeitler of the Ravens, and Halapoulivaati Vaitai of the Lions would all be welcome additions to pave the way for Swift and protect Williams.

The Bears aren't as far away as many people think. Their ceiling will depend on Caleb Williams actually being the man, but if he is, and if Poles nails free agency, the rest of the roster could be close to championship level by Week 1.