Looking ahead: What's on the horizon in 2023 for Chicago sports teams
2022 was a mostly forgettable year for Chicago sports squads. The Bulls were the only team to make the playoffs - but exited quickly, the White Sox fell miserably short of expectations and the Bears, Blackhawks and Cubs remained mired in rebuilds.
But a new year brings new hope: a draft pick who's a game-changer, a big free-agent acquisition, perhaps a couple of deep playoff runs?
Here's how our sports writers see 2023 playing out.
Bears
Chaos coming?
When the season ends, the Bears will end up with a top-4 draft pick. They could even draft first if they lose to the Vikings and the Texans defeat the Colts on Sunday. So what will they do?
The smart money is on GM Ryan Poles working out a deal with a QB-hungry team. That allows Poles to take an impact player (you have to believe that will be EDGE rusher or franchise left tackle), while also acquiring an extra pick or two.
Should be a fascinating time.
Free-agent frenzy?
No team has more cap space than the Bears - and it's not even close. Still, don't expect them to go on a huge spending spree. The guess here is they plug some holes, then really start adding impact pieces in 2024 and 2025.
Playoffs!?
NFL teams flip the script all the time, going from worst to first. While a division title seems unlikely, the Bears ought to be a serious wild-card contender next season if they shore up the offensive line, improve the defense and add another capable wide receiver or two.
Time to pass test:
Justin Fields' passing numbers (17 TD passes, 11 INTs, 149.5 yards per game) are fairly abysmal, but given the talent around him, this was to be expected. In 2023, we should see significant improvement from Fields in all areas. If we do, this will be the most exciting offense in the history of the franchise.
Blackhawks
Bye-bye Toews and Kane?
As the losses pile up, it will be interesting to see if Jonathan Toews and/or Patrick Kane waive their no-movement clauses. Don't expect a large return for Toews, who figures to be a solid third-line center on a contender. Kane, though, ought to bring a decent haul - especially if he doesn't hamstring Kyle Davidson with only one or two teams he's willing to go to.
The trade deadline is at 2 p.m. March 21.
New kid on the block:
Forward Lukas Reichel, who has 14 goals and 22 assists in 32 games for the AHL's Rockford IceHogs, was just recalled by the Hawks on Wednesday. His immediate future is unclear, but the best bet is he gets a long look in March and April but also remains eligible to return to Rockford for a likely Calder Cup playoff run. Reichel, the 17th overall pick in the 2020 draft, should be a big piece of the Hawks' future.
3. Tank hard for Bedard:
With the way things are going, the Hawks (8-25-4) are almost a lock for a top-3 draft pick in 2023. The big hope is to win the draft lottery, however, because Connor Bedard is expected to be a generational talent who will instantly change the direction of a franchise.
He's a bit undersized at 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, but Bedard has everything else you want an elite player: Speed, skill, puck handling, a lethal shot, creativity with the puck.
If he ends up in Chicago, Hawks fans should jump for joy.
WHITE SOX
New manager:
The White Sox signed left fielder Andrew Benintendi and starting pitcher Mike Clevinger, two significant roster additions.
When the 2023 season begins, Pedro Grifol is also going to be a newcomer to watch.
Badly in need of a stable hand in the dugout after two trying years of Tony La Russa, the Sox hired the relatively unknown Grifol as their new manager in early November.
The 52-year-old Grifol is a baseball lifer and he spent the past 10 years in a variety of roles with the Royals, the past three as bench coach.
"When managers are hired, they're hired because most of the time they're in a rebuilding situation and they've got some time to kind of set things up," Grifol said. "This is a place where everybody's expecting us to take the next step, and the next step is October baseball. We've just got to maximize their talent every single day and if it doesn't happen, it'll happen tomorrow and just keep grinding it out."
New look in left:
With Andrew Vaughn moving back to first base, his natural position, AJ Pollock opting out of his contract and Adam Engel being non-tendered, the White Sox were in desperate need of outfield help.
They got some in Andrew Benintendi, who signed the most lucrative contract in franchise history at $75 million over five years.
Benintendi hit a combined .304 with the Royals and Yankees last season, which ranked sixth in the American League. He also made his first All-Star Game appearance won a Gold Glove in 2021.
Rotation addition:
Looking to replace Johnny Cueto at the back end of a solid starting rotation, the Sox rolled the dice on Mike Clevinger.
Once a premier starter for Cleveland, Clevinger is confident he can regain his old form after dealing with Tommy John surgery and a knee injury the last few years.
"I'm feeling like a normal person again," said the 32-year-old Clevinger, who was 7-7 with a 4.33 ERA in 22 starts with the Padres last season. "It's good to get back in the gym doing normal stuff, sprinting and doing more normal work."
CUBS
Swanson signs:
Early in the off-season, it was looking like the Cubs were going to take another pass on adding impact talent.
That changed, in a hurry.
Over a seven-day stretch in December, the Cubs signed center fielder Cody Bellinger, starting pitcher Jameson Taillon and the big prize - Dansby Swanson.
One of four star shortstops on the free-agent market, Swanson joins the Cubs on a seven-year, $177 million contract.
In addition to being a Gold Glover, he hit a combined 52 home runs with the Braves over the past two seasons.
"I feel like over the last three to four years, I've had a track record of consistently getting better and feel like that trend is a long way from being over," Swanson said. "I started working with guys I really trust offensively. I feel like the sky is the limit and the potential is just now being tapped."
Rotation target:
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 draft, Jameson Taillon has had two Tommy John surgeries and he's still looking to live up to his enormous potential.
The 31-year-old righty is coming off a solid season with the Yankees (14-5, 3.91 ERA) and he'll look to build off the success after signing a four-year, $68 million deal with the Cubs.
"I feel great," Taillon said. "I feel healthy. I feel like after I had my second elbow surgery it kind of game me a new lease on baseball in my career and I took that opportunity to find out what I was doing wrong and find out why I was getting hurt.
"So I kind of went back to the drawing board and re-imagined what my delivery would look like and what type of pitcher I wanted to be and how I could stay on the field."
Reclamation project:
Cody Bellinger has taken quite a plunge since winning the National League's MVP trophy in 2019.
Non-tendered by the Dodgers in November after a second straight abysmal offensive showing, Bellinger latched on with the Cubs and is hoping to show he still has it.
"It's definitely important," Bellinger said of the upcoming season. "I'm not going to say it's not. But I think that where I'm at right now and how I feel mentally, physically, I'm in a pretty good spot. It's definitely a big year."
BULLS
Missing piece:
The first item for the Bulls to look forward to in 2022 is the potential return of point guard Lonzo Ball from arthroscopic knee surgery. Ball hasn't played since last January and the Bulls are missing his floor guidance, defensive skills and 3-point shooting. Of course, this is labeled as a potential return, because Ball mentioned recently he's still feeling some soreness in his left knee, but is hoping for the best.
Luck needed:
If Lonzo Ball's return doesn't pay off, the next milestone for the Bulls is draft lottery night and it will be a doozy. The 2023 No. 1 pick will almost certainly be French teenager Victor Wembanyama, who stands 7-feet-4, but moves like a small forward and can light it up from 3-point land. The downside is also immense. If the Bulls don't land one of the top-four picks in the lottery, their protected pick will go to Orlando as the final piece to the Nikola Vucevic trade. Or the Bulls could just make the playoffs and skip the lottery.
Change is coming:
At some point either before the trade deadline or during the summer, the Bulls will have to make a decision on center Nikola Vucevic's future, since his contract will expire. Same with Coby White, who is headed for restricted free-agency.