Not good enough, but a step forward: The Top 25 Bears in 2023
Bears Film Study traditionally ends with a final exam of sorts, ranking the team's top 25 players.
Feel free to disagree or forward to Ryan Poles for off-season prep. This list is guaranteed to be less depressing than it was last year.
1. Montez Sweat, DE: He was the big-time playmaker every good defense needs. Played well against the Bears for Washington in Week 5, and ended up leading both teams in sacks.
2. Jaylon Johnson, CB: Earned a well-deserved Pro Bowl nod. According to pro-football-reference.com, Johnson ranked third among all NFL corners in defensive passer rating. Needless to say, he needs to return.
3. Jaquon Brisker, S: His pass-coverage numbers weren't great, but his game is more about making plays all over the field. His 17 tackles in win over Lions on Dec. 10 look like a typo.
4. D.J. Moore, WR: First year in Chicago, he delivered the fourth-most receiving yards in team history.
5. Justin Fields, QB: Depending on the rating system used, Fields ranked around 19 or 20 among QBs with at least 10 starts, right behind Jalen Hurts and Trevor Lawrence. Fields did improve in most passing categories during his third season, while the rushing yards dipped.
6. Cole Kmet, TE: Top 10 among tight ends in both receptions and yards, a nice step forward after disappointing '22 season.
7. T.J. Edwards, LB: Lake Villa native and former Eagles MLB turned out to be a huge bargain for Bears. He finished seventh in the NFL in total tackles, one slot behind Roquan Smith.
8. Justin Jones, DT: Led Bears defensive linemen in tackles and pressures, was a brilliant 2022 free-agent addition. Problem is, he's now a free agent.
9. Tremaine Edmunds, LB: He had a decent year. Was he worth a $72 million free-agent deal? Well, it kind of goes back to the Bears' odd choices of last spring, to assemble a lineup of three middle linebackers, when they needed some sort of playermaker on the edge.
10. Cairo Santos, K: Went 35 for 38 on field goals, tied for second-most makes in NFL. Kickers are never appreciated until the doink hits the fan.
11. DeMarcus Walker, DL: Bears went 1 for 2 on their foray of signing Titans free agents. Walker tied Jones for the team lead in pressures and seemed to pick up steam when Sweat arrived.
12. Tyrique Stevenson, CB: No player improved from start to finish as much as Stevenson. The rookie from Miami finished as the NFL leader in targets, seeing twice as many passes come his way as Jaylon Johnson. To survive and improve is an encouraging sign.
13. Roschon Johnson, RB: Not much separation between the three top running backs this season, but Johnson's impressive blocking earns the top spot here.
14. Darnell Wright, RT: Tough to identify a standout on the offensive line this season. Fields was third in the league in percentage of QB pressures faced. But the run-blocking was very good and that's a strength of the Bears' 2023 first-rounder.
15. Khalil Herbert, RB: No complaints about the Bears' leading rusher. He's a bargain as a sixth-round pick on a rookie contract.
16. Kyler Gordon, CB: Nothing really changed in Year 2. Very good in run support, maybe lacks the speed to be a solid corner. By playing nickel and lining up across from slot receivers, Gordon can act as an extra man in the box, which could be a suitable role.
17. Jack Sanborn, LB: Somehow the Lake Zurich native played 39% of the defensive snaps but was fifth on team with 65 tackles. As predicted here last year, he's capable of being a starting MLB.
18. Lucas Patrick, C: There were certainly games when he was the Bears' best blocker.
19. Andrew Billings, NG: An astute free-agent pickup for the Bears, is signed for two more years.
20. Braxton Jones, LT: Similar to Wright, Jones is a very good run blocker but gets overmatched at times by the league's best pass rushers, which he sees plenty of on the left side.
21. Teven Jenkins, LG: He was Bears' highest-ranked offensive lineman on this list after last season. This fall he missed five games due to injury and wasn't the same.
22. Darnell Mooney, WR: Fell further from his 1,000-yard receiving season of 2021, but blocking remained solid.
23. D'Onta Foreman, RB: There were games when he looked great running the ball, only played in nine, though.
24. Gervon Dexter, DT: Rookie was another bright spot on defensive line.
25. Terrell Smith, CB: Pass defense rating ended up similar to Stevenson's, with far fewer reps.
Honorable mention
Rasheem Green, DE: Veteran was a nice depth piece at defensive end, while Dominique Robinson's progress stalled in second season.
Khari Blasingame, FB: Will say it again — good things happen in run game when he's on the field. It speaks to the Bears' improved depth that he didn't make Top 25.
Special mention
Eddie Jackson, S: Veteran free safety played 12 games in both 2022 and '23. In '22, he had 4 interceptions and 80 tackles. This fall it was 1 interception and 37 tackles. He had a nice run, but it seems pretty clear the Bears need an upgrade at this spot.
Yannick Ngakoue, DE: Wasn't bad but didn't get many chances to play opposite Sweat. Could be re-signable as free agent.
Nate Davis, RG: Bears gave him a $30 million free-agent deal, but things didn't click this fall. Maybe next year.
Cody Whitehair, G-C: Veteran could provide helpful depth, but he's also due to make $13.3 million next year.
Robert Tonyan, TE: McHenry native missed some catches and wasn't a standout blocker. There's a reason the Packers spent two high draft picks on tight ends in '23.
Twitter: @McGrawDHSports