Arkush: The most important players on the Bears today, after Fields of course
If I were to ask who is the most important player on the Chicago Bears today and a single respondent answered anyone but Justin Fields I would be stunned and forced to question their knowledge, football smarts and perhaps even sanity.
I can't imagine one of you interested in having a fun but serious debate about this will disagree about Fields.
Beyond the "Hunky" QB though - "Punky" is already taken and Fields is anything but that - which players matter the most?
The organization has already made clear winning would be nice, but this year is being dedicated to rebuilding, starting with finding a core of young players who might eventually form the foundation of a legitimate championship contending team.
With that in mind here are my top 5 or so:
Roquan Smith: Beyond being the best player on the team today, Smith just turned 25 in April, is already a two-time second team All Pro, will most likely play the Will linebacker (weakside), one of the two most important positions in Matt Eberflus' defense and will be in a contract year.
It is a near certainty a significant part of Ryan Poles' cap clearing extravaganza for next season is spurred largely in the knowledge he will have to make Smith one of the five highest paid defenders in the game to keep him, and there's every reason to believe he can be the face and focal point of the Bears' next great defense.
David Montgomery: Even in this era of devalued running backs there should be no debate Montgomery is the best offensive player on the team and he turns 25 Tuesday.
He has already displayed Pro Bowl-level talent and with the combination of his running, receiving and low-key, lead-by-example skills it's as if he was built in a lab to be featured in Luke Getsy's new offense while becoming Fields' best asset.
He brings the same skills as Aaron Jones who has produced 2,987 yards rushing and 1,220 more receiving as Aaron Rodgers' second favorite target to only Davante Adams the last three seasons in the offense Getsy will model from Green Bay.
Larry Borom: OK, let the real debate start here.
I know this is putting a lot on a second-year fifth-round pick playing a position nobody even projected him at coming out of Mizzou. But a franchise QB without a high-quality left tackle is a guy unable to reach his full potential. Borom is the only player on the roster with that kind of ceiling at that position, not to mention how critical his run blocking skills will be to Getsy's run first, play in space offense.
Teven Jenkins may have an even higher ceiling on the right side but I just can't see him on the left. If Borom emerges this year it will eliminate any need to consider using a likely Top 10 pick in next year's draft at the position and possibly accelerate the rebuild by a full season.
Justin Jones: If the Will linebacker isn't the most important position in Eberflus' defense, the three-technique is. That's why Jones is here. If he can't be a disrupter and an occasional big-play guy the defense is likely to struggle.
Because of the way the Tampa 2 is played he will be the only guy besides Robert Quinn likely to command extra attention up front. And if he doesn't teams will use as many blockers as necessary to take away Quinn.
Kyler Gordon, Jaquan Brisker and Velus Jones Jr.: They are the heart and soul of Poles' first draft. All are near certain rookie starters, and if they haven't shown at least quality starter traits and ceilings by the end of this season it will set the rebuild back at least a year and call into play Poles' chops in the draft and ability to make this rebuild work.
Those are my guys. I'd love to see/hear yours.