The Chicago Bears have finished the 2022 NFL Draft and made some moves to get players for the team.
While the Bears didn’t have a first-round pick, they made do with the tools at their disposal.
Some draft day trades helped them gain more picks.
However, the main thing fans want to know is if they will make the playoffs or have another terrible season.
The truth is, they need work done to become a playoff-ready team.
But the new general manager, Ryan Poles, is making waves to help rebuild in Chicago.
Some deals went badly, but others came through for him.
So what should fans expect from Chicago in the 2022 NFL season?
A 6-11 Season Is The Floor For Chicago
Looking at the Bears schedule for 2022 shows the team playing seven games against playoff teams from 2021.
On one hand, this Bears roster really sucks.
On the other hand, the schedule is SO easy. Of the teams we face next year, only 6 made the playoffs (Packers x 2, Eagles, Bills, Cowboys, Patriots, 49ers).
If we win all the games we should, this team's record could weirdly be good
— Rahul Ramachandran (@R_Ramachandran1) March 31, 2022
However, only nine of the 17 games have them facing teams that didn’t have a winning record in 2021.
While it would be nice to win those nine games, it might not happen.
The reality is a floor of only six wins in 2022.
It puts the team in the same spot from 2021.
However, the team is still growing, meaning this isn’t a complete failure.
If everything goes according to plan, they could hit a ceiling of ten wins.
A 10-7 Season Could Happen With Some Offensive Magic
The Bears’ fans shooting for the stars see the team winning more games than others think they will.
Also, I never said the bears were doing anything great in 2022. Just said the defense will be and little better and the offense should be a decent bit better and they could be a 7-10 team with a ceiling of 10-7. Which would put them at 3rd in the division with a ceiling of 2nd
— Seth Conklin (@SethDConklin) May 3, 2022
However, it would take magic from Justin Fields and the retooled offensive line to make this happen.
Getting Lucas Patrick was a monumental move to help protect Fields in 2022.
It could also help him grow as a quarterback, since Patrick was the center for Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay.
With those two working together, the Bears offense has hope in 2022.
They can ride that hope to beat their opponents and pull off wins against better teams like the San Francisco 49ers.
But it’s not a sealed deal for them to pull this off.
However, a 10-7 season is the best Chicago fans can hope for against their 2022 opponents.
Don’t Expect Fields To Have Over 4,000 Passing Yards
One thing I don’t see happening is Fields passing for 4,000 yards.
That’s an MVP-like performance if he reaches those numbers.
However, he could crack 3,000 passing yards in 2022.
He would need a star receiver pushing him into a great season for 2022.
There’s only one player that could fit that bill for him and Chicago.
Could Ryan Poles Have A Blockbuster Trade In His Pocket?
One thing propelling the Bears into the playoffs in 2018 was a trade for Khalil Mack, a defensive powerhouse.
Poles could have a Mack-like moment if the team trades for Deebo Samuel.
While he’s in a contract dispute over money and how the team uses him, the Bears could make San Francisco an offer.
The Bears know, as does everyone else, what the New York Jets and Detroit Lions offered to get Samuel on their team.
If the Bears would give more to the 49ers for Samuel, they could hit the ceiling in 2022.
NEXT: Did The Draft And Draft Day Trades Help Out The Bears?