2 Chicago Bears who will exceed expectations in 2024, 2 who won't

The wait is almost over, Bears fans. This offseason has been one to remember, from drafting Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze to extending franchise cornerstones DJ Moore and Jaylon Johnson, to a first-ever appearance on Hard Knocks. That was all just a prologue, though. The real story of the 2024 Chicago Bears is about to be written.

If Chicagoans possessed Adam Sandler's remote control from the movie Click, they surely would have fast-forwarded to this point by now. The Blackhawks, even with rookie wunderkind Connor Bedard, were one of the worst teams in hockey. The Bulls once again were one of the most forgettable teams in the NBA. Baseball season hasn't gone much better, with the White Sox making a serious run at the '62 Mets as the worst team in history and the Cubs underperforming for much of the year before making a late push that will almost surely be too little, too late.

It's all up to the Bears to turn the Windy City's sports fortunes around. Scary as that is for a team that hasn't won a playoff game in over 13 years, hopes are high that a new period of prosperity is about to hit Soldier Field. This Bears team is nothing like the one that finished with the NFL's worst record just two years ago. Everywhere fans look, there is reason to be excited, from a new-look, star-studded offense to a young, ascendant defense. Even special teams promise to be entertaining, with the new kickoff rule and Australian rookie prodigy Tory Taylor at punter.

Every fanbase in the NFL has reason to believe that this is the season when their team will finally break through. As we so often see though, the rigors of the NFL schedule have no issue with crushing the dreams of all but a few lucky squads. Is the hype around the Bears justified, or will the offseason be the high water mark of the 2024 Bears? Today we'll look at two underrated players who will make their marks, and two who will struggle to match expectations.

Kyler Gordon is on the verge of becoming a star

Jaylon Johnson may not yet get the credit he deserves for being one of the very best cornerbacks in the game, but real ones know how vital he is to this Bears' defense. Johnson is a true shutdown corner, which is why he was rewarded with a $76 million contract extension this offseason after posting his best season as a pro.

By locking down one side of the field, Johnson allows Matt Eberflus to get creative with the rest of his defensive personnel, and Kyler Gordon is going to be one of the main beneficiaries. From shutting down the other team's quickest receiver to helping in the run game and blitzing out of the slot, there's nothing the third-year nickelback can't do.

Gordon flashed his versatility this preseason, but he's going to have an even longer leash to make plays once Week 1 hits. Just in the first month alone, he'll have a variety of difficult assignments, from running with Texans deep threat Tank Dell in Week 2, to keeping one eye on shifty Colts slot receiver Josh Downs and one eye on dual-threat quarterback Anthony Richardson in Week 3, to containing the precision route-running nightmare of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua of the Rams in Week 4.

Gordon is going to be up for the challenge, and though he doesn't have the name recognition of Johnson or Montez Sweat, he's one of the main reasons why this Bears defense should pick up where it left off late last year. I hope Bears fans like Spiderman because they're going to be seeing a lot of web-shooting celebrations when Gordon is on the field.

Keenan Allen set a career high in receptions last year, but he won't come close to approaching that number with the Bears

One of the easiest moves for Bears fans to get behind this offseason was the trade for Keenan Allen, as the former Charger was acquired by Ryan Poles for the modest price of a fourth-round pick. Even though Allen is set to become a free agent next year and extension negotiations don't seem imminent, it seemed a no-brainer to procure a receiver of Allen's pedigree for so little.

Allen seemed to quickly shake off the shock of being traded from the only team he's ever known, as evidenced by his unexpected arrival at Caleb Williams' pro day just days after becoming a Bear. His veteran presence and fabled route-running skills should be invaluable to his new rookie quarterback, but there are reasons to believe that Allen isn't going to be the same player that has made the Pro Bowl in six of the last seven years.

Allen is now 32 years old, an age at which many receivers begin to see their productivity wane. He's on a new team in a new offense, and for the first time in years, he's no longer the number one option in the passing game. That honor belongs to DJ Moore, who had a career year of his own last year but is five years younger.

Reports that Allen gained 20 pounds this offseason don't seem to be credible, but blazing speed was never his hallmark anyway. What is troubling is Allen's admission on Hard Knocks that he hadn't been able to get a catch on Jaylon Johnson all camp. Johnson is fantastic, but you'd expect a receiver of Allen's pedigree to win at least some of those battles.

Allen also missed some practice time recently with a foot issue, but he should be good to go in Week 1. Still, he'll be competing with Moore, Odunze and Cole Kmet for targets, so Bears fans that are expecting a repeat of his 108-catch performance from a year ago should keep their expectations in check. Odunze sure looks to be the real deal, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him overtake Allen as the WR2 by season's end, especially since he's a guaranteed part of the Bears' future, and Allen, with no deal in place beyond this year, may not be.

Gervon Dexter Sr. is ready to build on an encouraging rookie season

Bears fans spent much of last season hearing about how Ryan Poles never should have passed on the chance to draft Jalen Carter in the first round. Poles traded back with the Eagles, eventually selecting Darnell Wright to bolster an offensive line that was in sore need of help. Wright was solid in his rookie year, but Carter exploded onto the scene with Philly as a disruptive force on the defensive line.

By now, Bears fans should know to trust that Poles knows what he is doing. Carter and the Eagles' defense faded massively down the stretch, while Gervon Dexter Sr., who was taken with the 53rd overall pick, got better as the season went along, ultimately finishing with the same amount of quarterback pressures as the player Poles passed on. By the end of the season, the Bears' and Eagles' defenses were heading in completely different directions.

Dexter improved greatly as a pass-rushing threat after the in-season addition of Montez Sweat. Pro Football Focus gave him a terrible grade when it came to his rushing defense, but seeing as the Bears led the league in rushing yards allowed, it's tough to put much stock in that.

For this defense to make the leap into a top-five unit, it all comes down to the D-line's ability to get to the quarterback. Rookie Austin Booker looks ready to contribute immediately in that area, and Dexter, who began playing football as a junior in high school, is only going to get more and more comfortable at the NFL level.

Dexter's second-half stats were in line with some of the best defensive linemen in the game. A full season of that kind of production will make Bears fans forget about Carter once and for all.

D'Andre Swift's arrival won't stop this from being a backfield by committee

The NFL's running back carousel was working overtime this offseason. All across the league, big-name ballcarriers were on the move, from Derrick Henry joining the Ravens, to Austin Ekeler going to the Commanders and Saquon Barkley crossing rivalry lines to leave the Giants for the Eagles.

That last move was critical for the Bears, as it allowed them to swoop in and sign former Eagle D'Andre Swift to a three-year, $24 million deal. Many observers believe that Swift is now set to become the bellcow of the Bears' offense, but the continued presence of Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson makes me think that Swift will struggle to match his career numbers from last year.

Swift ran for 1,049 yards on over 15 carries a game, but he saw his production in the passing game slip, as he recorded the fewest receptions and receiving yards of his career. With Roschon set for a bigger role in his second year, that part is unlikely to change.

That should theoretically leave most of the work on first and second down to Swift, but people always seem to forget that Herbert is a quality back. He has a higher career yards per carry than Swift despite playing behind a far inferior offensive line, and he has better numbers after contact.

Swift is an exciting addition with more straight-line speed than Herbert, but he's not going to dominate the backfield touches. This doesn't have to be a bad thing, as the Bears' offensive depth should only help them over the course of a 17-game season. Swift will be a meaningful contributor, just don't expect a Pro Bowl kind of season from him.