Bears likely back in chase after offseason moves

While we await official confirmation from the Bears they've signed free agent wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. and safety Tashaun Gipson, it appears general manager Ryan Pace has checked all the boxes on his offseason to-do list.

While we could debate which order to rank them, we can (likely) agree the Bears greatest needs entering this offseason were:

Tight end: Jimmy Graham, Demetrius Harris, Cole Kmet

Offensive line: Germain Ifedi, Jason Spriggs, Arlington Hambright, Lachavious Simmons, Badara Traore.

Quarterback: Nick Foles.

Wide receiver: Ginn Jr., Trevor Davis, Darnell Mooney.

Safety: Jordan Lucas, Gipson.

Cornerback: Artie Burns, Tre Roberson, Jaylon Johnson, Kindle Vildor.

Pass rush: Robert Quinn, Barkevious Mingo, Trevis Gipson.

Of course, a few more players have been added in those areas but the guys I've listed are the ones with the best shots to make a difference.

Now, has Pace fixed everything and built a solid Super Bowl contender? That remains to be seen and the odds are long.

But he has significantly upgraded his team, even if not in the way many fans hoped for and deemed necessary.

While many of you would have screamed offense, offense, offense when ranking your needs - and they are clearly better at tight end and quarterback - questions still remain at those spots, and I am skeptical that they are much better at all on the offensive line and at wide receiver.

While Ifedi and Spriggs are former first- and second-round draft picks, respectively, and Ifedi did start 60 of a possible 64 games in Seattle at both tackle and guard, neither was wanted by the clubs that drafted them and there is no clear evidence they are upgrades over Rashaad Coward, Alex Bars or Charles Leno.

Ginn Jr. is a nice get and has been a nice player in the league for 13 seasons now. He did at one time have elite speed, and he may still be in Cordarrelle Patterson's league. But he turned 35 two weeks ago and has never in those 13 seasons been more than a No. 3 receiver, often a No. 4.

Whether he's a plus trade for a healthy Taylor Gabriel remains to be seen, and Mooney is a blur, too, but also a fifth-round project.

At quarterback, we'll just have to wait and see, but I doubt anyone will argue the difference between Foles and Chase Daniel isn't akin to choosing a New York strip or 85% lean ground beef.

Love 'em or dislike 'em - I strive in everything I do to avoid the word hate - Graham, Harris and Kmet are all better than anyone on last year's tight end menu, although I am troubled Graham and wideout Davis come from the club the Bears are chasing and whose greatest single need is receivers.

Interestingly, however, it is on defense where Pace appears to have knocked a few out of the park.

The additions of Quinn, Tashaun Gipson and Johnson along with a healthy Akiem Hicks should make the Bears once again the NFL's most feared defense.

Add Gipson's and Quinn's Pro Bowl careers - Quinn was the Pro Football Writers' 2013 NFL Defensive Player of the Year - to All-Stars Hicks, Khalil Mack, Kyle Fuller and Eddie Jackson and Pro Bowl alternates Eddie Goldman and Roquan Smith and show me a better or potentially more lethal defensive depth chart in the league.

The defense everyone was calling generational to start the '19 season and made them the preseason pick by many in the NFC can be again.

It is also worth noting that the additions of Mingo, Burns and Jordan Lucas should make already solid special teams among the NFL's most talented.

Could the offense still short-circuit the season? Yes, it could.

But just two seasons ago, when the team was just a double doink away from a divisional playoff game against a Rams team they'd trashed four weeks earlier, if Trubisky is at quarterback, the only new starters this year will be at tight end (upgraded?), running back (even?) and right guard (who knows?).

The Bears will rightfully start the season trailing the Packers and Vikings, but it does appear Pace has put them back in the chase.