The Chicago Bears ended their season Sunday with a 17-9 loss to the Green Bay Packers that dropped them to 7-10 and saved them in final place within the NFC North.
The sting of that closing stumble nonetheless was lingering Monday as gamers packed up their lockers, met with higher-ups for exit interviews and headed into their offseasons.
But gamers additionally expressed satisfaction within the collective enhancements they made because the Bears greater than doubled their victory complete from 2022 and performed a extra aggressive model of soccer down the stretch.
Here are six issues we realized contained in the Halas Hall locker room Monday because the group weighs big-picture modifications for 2024, most notably with their teaching workers and quarterback state of affairs.
1. Defensive finish Montez Sweat would like to see Matt Eberflus return as Bears coach.
As Bears leaders weigh whether or not they may retain Eberflus for a 3rd season, a few gamers supplied their ideas on what the coach achieved in 2023 because the Bears improved from a 3-14 season a 12 months in the past.
Sweat joined the Bears from the Washington Commanders for the ultimate 9 video games this season and have become the primary participant in NFL historical past to guide two groups in sacks in the identical season. He had six with the Bears and 6 1/2 with the Commanders.
Sweat felt like he slot in each on and off the sector, together with with a locker room he mentioned felt “family-oriented” — a lot that he mentioned he wished he had “a little bit more time” to get to know his new staff earlier than heading into the offseason.
When requested whether or not he would love the Bears to prioritize continuity and convey again Eberflus, Sweat mentioned, “Oh, yeah. Love Flus.”
“Smart. He’s innovative. He listens to his players,” Sweat mentioned. “And he trusts his gut and he trusts his players. I’d love to see Flus back.”
Linebacker Jack Sanborn, who performed his first two NFL seasons beneath Eberflus, recommended the coach for “staying the course” throughout a tough first couple of months this season.
“He never wavered, never changed,” Sanborn mentioned. “I believe he perhaps noticed it earlier than any of us noticed it and didn’t change all through the tough occasions or the great occasions. Because it was ugly at occasions. It was unhealthy. We have been taking part in unhealthy ball. We weren’t executing. We weren’t taking part in good.
“And then it kind of changed. I think the guys in this locker room could feel that. I think everyone else could feel that. That’s what makes yesterday so tough — such an important game, against that team. Just wanted to finish the season how we wanted.”
2. Wide receiver DJ Moore spoke his thoughts in his exit interview.
Moore already had met with common supervisor Ryan Poles and Eberflus on Monday morning when he talked with reporters, and he mentioned he offered enter on what’s forward for the staff.
“Just to have a voice in it is pretty good,” Moore mentioned.
Moore has been a constant supporter of Justin Fields because the Bears resolve whether or not to maintain Fields as their starter or draft a quarterback. And Moore mentioned he introduced up Fields to staff management.
“He’s the quarterback of the Chicago Bears until otherwise,” Moore mentioned. “And I don’t think that’s changing anytime soon. We’ll see.”
Moore had a career-high 96 catches for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns in his first season with the Bears and Fields. He mentioned it could be “amazing” to have Fields again and pointed to the uncertainty of bringing in a rookie.
“Nobody really wants to start all the way over and either have a losing season again,” Moore mentioned, “or maybe (like Cincinnati Bengals quarterback) Joe Burrow, you could have that kind of season. You never know. It’s hit or miss. We’re going to have to wait and see.”
Another a part of the decision-making course of might be whether or not to deliver again offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. After Sunday’s recreation, Moore was requested about his degree of perception in Getsy.
“I think it’s fine,” Moore mentioned. “It simply comes right down to us being explosive on the offensive aspect. We’ve acquired the gamers to do it. We’ve acquired our quarterback to do it.
“Everything else, just need to call the plays that put us in position to have explosives down the field or catch-and-runs like we did today. We’ve just got to be an explosive team and not a team that’s just behind the sticks.”
3. Kicker Cairo Santos is happy with all he achieved in a productive season.
Santos’ first area purpose Sunday was from 50 yards into the wind on a cold January afternoon in Green Bay. It was Santos’ seventh make from 50 yards or longer in eight makes an attempt this season, proof his work through the 2023 offseason to enhance his ball hanging on lengthy kicks paid dividends.
“It was so much fun hitting all those long fields goals this year,” Santos mentioned Monday.
He admitted there was a bit of little bit of prayer and exaggerated physique language concerned in Sunday’s 50-yarder, which kissed the upright earlier than dropping by means of.
“I didn’t hit my best ball,” Santos mentioned. “But it found a way to get some help and go in. So that right there, even when I’m not striking my best ball and they still find a way to go in from 50-plus, it was really exciting. It’s the work that I want to continue to do this offseason.”
Santos’ closing area purpose Sunday, from 35 yards within the fourth quarter, was his thirty fifth of the season, setting a single-season franchise report. It additionally allowed him to complete with 92.1% accuracy, his third season above 90% with the Bears.
4. Veteran tight finish Marcedes Lewis plans to maintain taking part in in 2024.
Lewis simply completed his 18th season. He’ll flip 40 this spring. As he cleaned out his locker Monday at Halas Hall, he had zero intention of contemplating retirement.
“I’m rolling,” he mentioned. “It’s always been mentally (driven) for me. And my mental fortitude is something I lean on and I can hang my hat on. The stuff I put on film this year is stuff I can be proud of. And it’s crazy because I’ll be 40 in May, but when you watch the film, it doesn’t look like it.”
Lewis’ management was invaluable to the Bears this season. His veteran perspective can also be useful in sorting by means of the staff’s enchancment. He labeled this an “arrow up” staff Monday and appreciated the expansion it confirmed all 12 months, which he felt was fueled by chemistry and collective drive.
“At the end of the day, you’re going to have your dudes who are the leaders and then you’re going to have the guys who are going to follow those leaders,” Lewis mentioned. “And I think we did a really good job with whoever the leaders were led. And whoever the guys who were trying to figure it out followed the leaders. I just felt like it was a really good marriage.”
Lewis’ contract with the Bears expires in March, however he can be enthusiastic about returning in 2024 and serving to this staff proceed what it began.
“Obviously we didn’t finish the season like we wanted to yesterday,” he mentioned. “But we found a groove and it felt good to be in that groove. Returning for training camp next year will be different. It’s going to look different. The expectations are going to be different. (We’re) raising the bar. That’s what this is all about.”
5. Rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson was grateful for the help that aided his progress this season.
Stevenson pressured a fumble by Packers quarterback Jordan Love late within the third quarter Sunday, his newest contribution to the Bears’ season complete of 28 takeaways. He additionally had 4 interceptions — tied for the staff lead — and was the NFC defensive participant of the week in Week 17.
Stevenson credited the protection’s cohesion for a late-season takeaway binge. He additionally credited Eddie Jackson, Jaylon Johnson and Jaquan Brisker for serving to him develop by means of an up-and-down rookie season.
“This is the best secondary group I’ve been with,” Stevenson mentioned. “I’ve never been with a group of guys more eager to go out there and make plays and shine. … I would say they helped elevate my game a little faster than I thought it was going to.”
6. Bears assistant common supervisor Ian Cunningham is being pursued on this hiring cycle.
The Commanders reportedly have requested an interview with Cunningham to turn into their head of soccer operations.
Cunningham joined Poles’ workers in January 2022 after 14 years within the entrance workplaces of the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens. He was the Eagles director of participant personnel earlier than taking the Bears assistant GM job.
He interviewed with the Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals a 12 months in the past. The Cardinals supplied him their GM job, however he turned it down due to the “fit within the organization,” CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reported.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com