Bears among five clubs in ‘playoff tier’ in recent NFL team rankings

It’s amazing what a quarterback like Caleb Williams does for a team’s national opinion. Prior to selecting Williams first overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears were considered an OK team that couldn’t finish games in 2023. Perhaps it was the coach’s fault, maybe Justin Fields was to blame. But when Williams’ name was called, last season’s seven-win team suddenly became relevant.

Like, really relevant.

The Chicago Bears have solid Super Bowl odds (yes, you read that right) and are consistently ranked among teams that national writers believe will contend for the playoffs.

In USA Today’s recent ranking of all 32 NFL teams, the Bears cracked Tier 3, which is reserved for playoff hopefuls.

“The Bears could have a top 12 offense in the league in 2024,” Jarrett Bailey wrote. “With Shane Waldron calling the plays for Caleb Williams and a group of weapons consisting of D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, and Keenan Allen, this passing game could put up numbers. Defensively, they have guys at every level that can make plays, as well. Watch out for the Bears.”

The buzz around the Chicago Bears offense is the main reason the hype machine is screaming out of control, but remember: this defense was one of the league’s five best at the end of the 2023 regular season. And while GM Ryan Poles didn’t make any significant additions to that side of the ball in the offseason, he didn’t have to. Montez Sweat proved to be a force multiplier after he was acquired at the trade deadline, and now that he’ll have a full offseason in Chicago, he should elevate the supporting cast even more.

When you put all the pieces together, it makes total sense why this Bears team is considered a playoff squad. The quarterback is a generational prospect, the wide receiver corps ranks in the NFL’s top three units, the offensive line should be improved, and the defense will (at worst) be as strong as they were at the end of last year.

It’s playoffs or bust in Chicago in 2024.