The Chicago Bears offense left a lot to be desired in the 2023 season as they showed flashes of brilliance but very little consistency. If you watched them, you gained a lot of experience putting your favorite expletives to use. Luke Getsy can be thanked for that. His snap screens to receivers with no blocking in front of them infuriated Bears fans almost as much as his lack of designed runs and deep shots for Justin Fields. But with some recent trades and free agent signings, the Chicago Bears offense of 2023 looks to be a thing of the past, and the 2024 version is giving fans a lot to be excited about.

Chicago Bears Offense 2023 vs. 2024
CHICAGO BEARS OFFENSE-Quarterback:
2023- Justin Fields 2024-Caleb Williams (probably)
Everyone is aware of the Bears/Justin Fields saga that recently came to an end with his trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fields was as beloved as any recent Bears player; he represented hope for the future from the moment he was drafted. Bears fans had dreams that he would be the first superstar quarterback in franchise history…but for a variety of reasons it didn’t work out. His play, the play calling, and the play of those around him all reeked of inconsistency and the Chicago Bears offense underperformed.

BIG TIME THROW!

Caleb Williams to Brenden Rice! pic.twitter.com/nZzecBvj8P

— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) March 20, 2024

All signs point to Ryan Poles drafting Caleb Williams with the first overall pick, including the -5000 odds on most betting apps. He’s been viewed as a future star for years, and everything is pointing to the Bears pulling the trigger on the USC product. He can do it all on the field and seemingly does everything better than Fields (except run the ball), and he just wowed at his pro day with a perfectly placed pass that traveled just about 70 yards in the air. ADVANTAGE: 2024

CHICAGO BEARS OFFENSE-Running Backs:
2023 Khalil Herbert/D’Onta Foreman/Roschon Johnson
2024 D’Andre Swift/Khalil Herbert/Roschon Johnson
One positive from last season was that the Chicago Bears offense had a great running game, however no team prefers their QB to be the team’s rushing leader, as was the case in Chicago. Fields (657 yds) edged out Khalil Herbert (611) for that title with D’Onta Foreman (425) and Roschon Johnson (352) having their fair share of success, too.

Foreman played a large role in the running game but will be elsewhere next year. He served as the power back, averaging less than four yards per carry and not being much of a threat to break one. Roschon Johnson showed glimpses of being a stud RB, but only rushed the ball 81 times, though he did have 40 receptions. Herbert led the team in carries and showed that he is a capable back that can also help in the passing game (31 receptions).

This is the only swift I will watch #Eagles Deandre swift Full season highlights 😍😍😍 pic.twitter.com/cPlQLxAHo3

— Mr.Philly (@MrPhilly01) January 31, 2024

Ryan Poles and crew wasted no time making a move once free agency began. Within minutes, the Chicago Bears offense was improved when D’Andre Swift was signed to a 3 year, $24 million contract and will serve as the primary back for the Bears in 2024. Swift is coming off of his best year as a professional; he ran for 1,049 yards and caught 39 passes for 214 yards. He had six total touchdowns, but if Philadelphia’s “tush push” weren’t a thing, he probably would have been well into double digits. Without a doubt, this is a step up from last season. ADVANTAGE: 2024

CHICAGO BEARS OFFENSE-Wide Receivers:
2023 DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Tyler Scott
2024 DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Tyler Scott, *Rookie
In 2023, only three Bears receivers had double digit receptions: DJ Moore (96), Darnell Mooney (31), and Tyler Scott (17). That’s a problem. Equanimeous St. Brown, Velus Jones, and Collin Johnson also saw time. Unless you’re a Chicago fan, you’ve never heard of Jones or Johnson (unless Jones fumbled a punt against your team). Scott is 22 years old and is a burner who can take the top off a defense, and DJ Moore a true #1 who had his best season as a pro with 1,364 yards and 8 touchdowns. Darnell Mooney had a disappointing season with only 414 yards and was rarely finding himself open.

The Bears made a huge splash when they traded a 4th round pick for All Pro WR Keenan Allen. The former Chargers #1 target instantly gives the Bears one of the top receiving duos in the league. The wide receiving corps for 2024 is already levels above where it was last year. Allen has topped 1,000 yards 5 of the last 7 years and has been good for an average of almost 100 catches and 6 touchdowns per year.

If we are just talking top three, receivers, the Bears are in their best shape quite possibly in franchise history. If Tyler Scott can take a step forward and/or if they draft a top tier WR (which is possible with the 9th pick), they may have the best group of pass catchers in the league. ADVANTAGE: 2024

CHICAGO BEARS OFFENSE-Tight Ends:
2023 Cole Kmet, Roberth Tonyan, Mercedes Lewis
2024 Cole Kmet, Gerald Everett
Cole Kmet had his breakout year in 2023; the 25 year old Notre Dame alum posted career highs in catches (73) and yards (719) and first down receptions (36). He was targeted 90 times (2nd most behind DJ Moore) and was a focal point in the Bears offense. He was rewarded with a four year, $50 million contract and will continue to be a key piece when Chicago has the ball. Robert Tonyan only had eleven catches and wasn’t much of a help in the redzone like hoped. Mercedes Lewis did find the endzone once, but his value came in the locker room as the soon to be 40 year old served as a leader and mentor for his teammates.

Knowing that an improvement to the tight end room was needed after last season, Ryan Poles went out and signed Gerald Everett to a 2 year, $12 million contract. Everett is entering his 8th year and has averaged 47 receptions and 453 yards per season over his last five years. He gives new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron (the two were together with the Rams) a big, athletic target who can line up with his hand in the dirt, in the slot, or even out wide. Pairing him with Kmet will make the Bears passing game even more versatile and dangerous. They will surely add a blocking tight end between now and camp, possibly even bringing back Mercedes Lewis. ADVANTAGE: 2024

CHICAGO BEARS OFFENSE-Offensive Line:
2023 (T)Braxton Jones/Darnell Wright (G)Teven Jenkins/Nate Davis (C) Cody Whitehair/Lucas Patrick/Dan Feeney

2024 (T)Braxton Jones/Darnell Wright (G)Teven Jenkins/Nate Davis (C)Coleman Shelton
The 2023 version of the Chicago Bears offensive line was the best it has been in years. That doesn’t mean it was good, but it was solid. Guard Teven Jenkins played like a Pro Bowler, and looks to be someone the Bears can count on for a while. The other guard, Nate Davis, struggled to stay consistent, but look for him to have a bounce back year after dealing with some personal issues off the field early on last season.

Braxton Jones had an above average season and looks to be improving in both the run and passing games. Darnell Wright struggled at times, as rookie tackles often do, but he showed tons of growth and has the athleticism and nastiness to be an All Pro in the near future. Typically when he struggled, it was against elite defensive ends or pass rushing linebackers who give even the best tackles fits. Based on 2023, the main area of concern is the center position; Cody Whitehair, Lucas Patrick, and Dan Feeney all struggled at center, and none of them will be on the roster next season.

As for the line of the 2024 Chicago Bears offense, things are looking up. Ryan Poles and company traded for C/G Ryan Bates, who the GM signed to an offer sheet back in 2022, signed Coleman Shelton, who many think will win the starting job at center, and signed Jake Curhan and Matt Pryor as depth pieces at the tackle positions. This is reminiscent of how the Chiefs began building their dynasty back when Poles was an assistant in Kansas City…find good deals for solid linemen in free agency and create a ton of depth.

If Jones, Wright, and Jenkins continue to progress, and Nate Davis has a bounce back season, the Chicago Bears offense could boast one of the best (and deepest) lines in the league. There is also a chance that Joe Alt or another stud tackle in the draft could be selected with the 9th overall pick, but many think an edge rusher or wide receiver will be taken there. Either way, the arrow is pointing up. ADVANTAGE: 2024

All signs point to improvement, even at OC
Perhaps the biggest signing of the offseason was offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. He comes over from Seattle where he had a successful year as the OC there. He found a way to rejuvenate the career of Geno Smith with creative sets and the ability to adapt to his players’ skills. This isn’t always easy for play callers; sometimes their egos get in the way as they put their scheme over their players abilities (see Chip Kelly). With Waldron at the helm, whichever rookie quarterback is playing (yes, we know it will be Caleb) will be in good hands, as will the Chicago Bears offense as a whole. ADVANTAGE: 2024

Finish the job
When all is said and done, it is safe to say that Ryan Poles has done a masterful job improving the Chicago Bears offense through both free agency and the trade market. It’s interesting to think that they’ve already improved at every position on the offensive side of the ball, and he hasn’t even made a draft pick yet. Between having two of the first nine selections in the draft and still having plenty of cap space, there is still time for Poles to build the 2024 version of the Chicago Bears offense into a juggernaut, and that is unexplored territory for this franchise.