Chicago Bears skill players land in the middle of the pack in ESPN’s latest NFL ranking

Chicago Bears fans are used to the team’s skill players being the butt of jokes. It’s easy to understand why. The Bears haven’t had a 4,000-yard passer in franchise history, which has a trickle-down effect on the wide receivers and tight ends. And while the Bears have a deep history of top-tier running backs, the devaluation of the position doesn’t help the offense’s optics.

The 2023 season has a chance to be different, though. The Chicago Bears have Justin Fields, an ascending quarterback with superstar potential. They traded for wide receiver DJ Moore, a player with universal respect across the league as a playmaker. Tight end Cole Kmet is getting better with each season he’s been in the NFL, and the team’s three-headed monster is intriguing.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently published his annual ranking of all 32 NFL teams’ skill position groups, which usually features the Bears in the bottom five. In 2022, they ranked 26th. That’s not the case this year, Chicago checks in at No. 17.

“Operation “Get Justin Fields a Top Wide Receiver” landed a legitimate No. 1 this offseason in former Carolina star DJ Moore,” Barwell wrote. ‘Moore has stayed healthy and productive, outside of a curious aversion to touchdowns, despite subpar quarterback play. He’s coming off arguably his worst season as a pro, as he played virtually every snap and managed only 888 receiving yards, but he is still just 26. Moore was the best wideout the Bears could have added this offseason, and he’ll be a major help for Fields in 2023.”

Chicago Bears closing the gap in NFC North

However, it’s not all rainbows and butterflies in ESPN’s assessment of the Bears” skill players. There’s still concern about whether Chase Claypool will develop into the kind of big-bodied player GM Ryan Poles envisioned when he traded what turned out to be the No. 32 pick in the 2023 draft for him.

“It already feels like (Claypool) needs a change of scenery from what was supposed to be his change of scenery,” Barnwell wrote.

The best news from ESPN’s ranking may not even be where the Bears check in. Instead, it’s how low the Green Bay Packers appear — No. 28. (Yes, you probably just heard a coast-to-coast roar of satisfying laughter from every Bears fan in the nation.).

The opening line of Barnwell’s review of the Packers’ offense says it all:

“This might be the least-experienced passing attack in modern league history.”

After three decades of Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers leading an annual passing powerhouse, this is a breath of fresh air in the Windy City.

The Chicago Bears still have work to do in the NFC North, however. The Detroit Lions rank one spot ahead of them at No. 16. The Minnesota Vikings rank much higher than that at No. 6.

But the biggest takeaway is this: the Bears are closing the gap on offense, which is why there’s more optimism about this team than in years.