NFC North projections: Where the Chicago Bears finish
Can the Chicago Bears win the NFC North for the second time in three seasons? The odds are against them.
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Arguably the most interesting training camp to keep an eye in the NFL is with the Chicago Bears at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Ill., because of the quarterback competition between Mitchell Trubisky and trade acquisition Nick Foles as well as the hot-seat status of Coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace. Bears played reported to the team facility Tuesday but only to start coronavirus testing and then immediately head back home and await results. Actual practices won't take place for around two weeks.
In theory, Trubisky would have an edge over Foles because Trubisky has been playing in this offense since Nagy arrived in 2018 and he knows the personnel. However, the former No. 2 overall pick took a huge step back last season as the Bears slipped to 8-8, and the team declined Trubisky's fifth-year option on his rookie contract back in May.
The team also gave up a fourth-round pick in this year's draft to get Foles from the Jacksonville Jaguars and Foles is due around $21 million guaranteed. Foles is familiar with this offensive scheme as well from previous stops.
SportsLine NFL oddsmakers list Trubisky as a slight -130 favorite to start Week 1 in Detroit, with Foles at even money. There were rumors that Foles was thinking of opting out of this season because of the pandemic, but those have been proven false. No preseason hurts the Bears in terms of seeing both guys in game action this summer so Nagy can make a more informed decision.
Chicago Bears SportsLine Projection Model Forecast/William Hill Odds
The Bears rode their defense to the NFC North title in 2018 and probably will need to again with so many questions at QB. The team added stellar pass-rusher Robert Quinn in free agency to take some pressure off superstar Khalil Mack, but that defense took a big hit this week when tackle Eddie Goldman opted out of the season. He is an excellent run-stopper whom Pro Football Focus ranked as the 17th-best interior defensive lineman in the NFL the past two seasons combined.
Nagy's disappointing 2019 offensive unit is largely back intact other than the Foles trade, signing of past-his-prime tight end Jimmy Graham and drafting of Notre Dame tight end Cole Kmet in Round 2 of April's draft. At one point this spring, the Bears had an incredible nine tight ends on the roster but have since cut or traded some, including sending massive bust Adam Shaheen, a 2017 second-round pick, to Miami for a conditional late-round draft pick.
Chicago in theory could be favored in every home game this season except likely Week 8 vs. New Orleans. On the flip side, the Bears may only be favored twice on the road: Week 6 at Carolina and Week 16 at Jacksonville.
NFL Pick: 7-9 and third in NFC North. Nagy and Pace are both fired.
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