A few positive thoughts about where the Bears are at now.

A lot of improbable things had to happen for the Bears to get first pick two years in a row.  Has this ever happened before? Do you know?

Thought I heard a blurb that it has happened once before but way way back.  TBH, IDK for sure.

Yes, Poles made some savvy moves with a long-term viewpoint but a lotta good luck helped too.

No one thought the Panthers and Bryce Young would be AS BAD as they were this year.  

On a different note, has anyone else noticed how important "chemistry" is with regards to Fields passing?  It seems more important with him than it does with a typical QB.  He is gradually throwing with more anticipation (something he still needs to get better at) but, like Cutler, he seems to only do it when he's throwing to someone he has a high degree of faith in.  That is Moore and Kmet only right now.  He never had that with Claypool (probably for good reasons), he lost that with Mooney who he barely even looks at anymore, and Tyler Scott seems to heading the wrong direction there as he keeps blowing big opportunities.  To me, it feels like Fields needs a high degree of confidence in his receiver's hands and "catch radius" to uncork the kind of throws we all know he can (and should) make.  When he doesn't have that confidence, he does all the crap that have held him back so much -- looking hesitant/indecisive, holding the ball too long, taking avoidable sacks, fumbling, etc.

Getting him another trusted target seems like a no-brainer to me if you're gonna keep him.  I just wonder if drafting MHJ & Brock Bowers in the 1st is the way to go.  Maybe shore up the DL in FA and go balls out on receiving weapons in round 1.  

PT's point is correct, if painful.  Jordan Love's season (16 games) would be the best by a Bears QB in team history.  He's at 3850 yards and 30 TDs and please don't tell me his receiving weapons are such studs.  He has 2 2nd year players, one of which (Watson) is always hurt, and a bunch of rookie TEs and WRs.  DJ Moore is a better WR and Kmet is a better TE than any of them, at this point anyway.  

Yesterday's game was encouraging for Fields and yeah I have had doubts from his very shallow developmental trajectory.  He needs to step up his PASSING game and start routinely throwing for >200 ypg.  If Poles is gonna stick with him for 2024 (which I admit looks likely right now), get him 2 more pass catchers who he can gain confidence with and I don't want to hear any more excuses for why he isn't THROWING for 3500+ yards in a season going forward.  

That is not too much to ask.

I agree with you. It is not too much to ask. And when you have the run ability on top of the passing (that 3500+ yards, which I do believe is so doable with Fields in 2024) then you have an elite top-5 QB1 here.

Tillman and Urch were my favs too. Later on I really liked Peppers. Have a feeling Sweat is that kind of player, and could easily surpass him here.