Bears head into training camp hoping to see Justin Fields and offense take the next step
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago Bears veterans begin reporting to training camp on Tuesday, and all eyes will be on quarterback Justin Fields when practices begin on Wednesday.
Fields will begin practice without one of his key receivers, after the Bears placed Chase Claypool on the physically unable to perform list.
CBS 2 sports director Marshall Harris caught up with former NFL tight end and commentator Clay Harbor, and asked him what he'll be keeping an eye on as the Bears prepare for the 2023 season.
"I think we're going to learn who Justin Fields is. Is he getting rid of the ball quick? Is he holding onto it? And I think that's something you're going to see. Now that he's got a number one receiver, he's going to be able to get in, get through his drop, and throw it right away," Harbor said. "He's not going to wait, take those drops, take those sacks."
The Bears gave up the most sacks in the NFL last year, but Harbor said fans should expect an improvement this year.
"We've got a better offensive line. Bring in (right guard) Nate Davis. Your number one pick, (right tackle) Darnell Wright. This guy is big. He makes the blind side look small. So I think Justin Fields is going to have more time, and he's going to be able to get rid of the ball a lot faster," Harbor said.
While the Bears gave up the most sacks in the league, their defense had the fewest sacks in the NFL last year, with safety Jaquan Brisker leading the team with four sacks. While they've bolstered the defensive tackle position in the offseason, they have yet to sign an elite edge rusher.
Newly signed defensive end DeMarcus Walker should help the pass rush, coming off a season when he had a career-best 7 sacks for the Titans, but if they Bears don't sign one of the available free agent edge rushers, they'll need a big season from Trevis Gipson.
"I think they have a better year, but they still need help on the defensive line. Justin Houston's out there. I think Ryan Poles needs to hit up Twitter, look at some of the comments, sign a defensive end. There's some guys out there still. Yannick Ngakoue. Sign somebody that can get some pressure on the quarterback," Harbor said. "Besides that, we got some linebackers, we got some defensive backs. Now we need some defensive linemen to get some pressure on opposing teams' quarterbacks."
The Bears still have about $32 million in available cap space, the most in the NFL, according to Spotrac, so they still have the money to go after a proven edge rusher like Houston, Ngakoue, or Jadeveon Clowney.
With what they have right now, Harbor sees the Bears as a mid-tier team in the NFC North.
"Obviously, you've got Minnesota, who went 13-4 and won the division last year. Obviously, they won a lot of close games. You've got Detroit, who finished the season last year, the last nine games they went 7-2," Harbor said. "But I think the Packers aren't the same team. Aaron Rodgers, 'Chicago, I own you.' They don't own us anymore. Aaron Rodgers is gone. Now they've got Jordan Love, and I don't think it's Jordan Love, it's more like Jordan Like. I'm not sure he's there yet. So I think the Bears have an opportunity here in a weak division."
"Justin Fields is getting better. Second year in Luke Getsy's offense. Better offense. Better defense. So I take them at an 8-9 type record, finish in the middle of the division. But if they can sneak out an extra win here or there, they're going to be in the talk for a Wild Card at the end of the season," Harbor said. "And I'm not sold on Detroit or Minnesota."
Fields said he believes he will throw for 4,000 yards this season. That would be a huge jump from the 2,200 passing yards he racked up in 2022, and would set a Bears passing record. The Bears are the only NFL team to never have a quarterback throw for 4,000 yards.
