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Can the Chicago Bears go from worst to first in the NFC North?

For the Bears to truly break through they will need a Pro Bowl caliber performance from Fields, but surrounding him with more playmakers should help.

CHICAGO — When the Chicago Bears landed the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, it gave them the luxury of exploring multiple different ways to improve the roster and built around young quarterback Justin Fields.

Chicago general manager Ryan Poles ultimately decided to trade the pick in order to acquire more draft capital, as well as wide receiver D.J. Moore, from the Carolina Panthers - getting the offseason started with a bang.

The Bears kept that momentum by using their cap space to bring in veteran starters on both sides of the ball, including linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, offensive lineman Nate Davis, running backs Travis Homer and D'Onta Foreman, tight end Robert Tonyan and defensive linemen DeMarcus Walker, Andrew Billings, and Rasheem Green.

Those additions, plus the 10 players selected in April's draft, should help the Bears vault up the standing in the NFC North - and earned the praises of Brian Peacock from the Peacock and Williamson NFL show.

"I love what Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears have done this offseason for the most part," Peacock said. "Trading down I think was a huge win, I love it from the Bears perspective. Betting on the tools [for Justin Fields] and getting so many draft picks."

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Chicago's opportunity to move up the NFC North standings was helped by Green Bay's decision to trade Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets, giving the keys to the kingdom to Jordan Love. Love may end up having a great season, but Chicago's chances are definitely improved with a young, unproven quarterback under center at Lambeau.

For the Bears to truly break through they will need a Pro Bowl caliber performance from Fields, but surrounding him with more playmakers (like Moore and Foreman) as well as increased protection up front should help him have that full breakout campaign - which could easily result in a 10-win season and an NFC North championship.

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