When Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles displayed a Lego building block during his end-of-season news conference in January 2023, it led to some jokes on social media.
The Bears were 3-14. How many blocks would they need? How much time would Poles be given to accumulate the blocks? Would the Legos withstand what most Bears teams have not and eventually create something sustainable?
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That matters even more when looking ahead to 2024 when the Bears are in position to draft a quarterback No. 1 overall, their third first-round pick at the position in eight years.
This time, they have the Lego blocks. If it’s Caleb Williams, he’ll have a lot more to work with than Mitch Trubisky did. And he knows it. He referenced their 2023 record of 7-10 at the combine.
“That’s pretty good for a team that has the first pick,” Williams said. “And they’ve got a good defense. They’ve got good players on offense, and it’s pretty exciting if you can go into a situation like that.”
The fourth annual review of the Bears organized by roster tiers required a new category to reflect the depth of the current roster, and a record number of players the team can feel good about heading into free agency. We did not include Justin Fields as we’re assuming the Bears will move on from their 2021 first-round pick. We still lead with the foundational pieces — players who, based on skill, contract and position, have the potential to be long-term fixtures with the team.
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The foundational pieces include blue-chip players but also starters at premium positions who have shown enough to be locked into that spot not just for 2024, but ’25 as well.
Foundational players
WR DJ Moore
DE Montez Sweat
TE Cole Kmet
LB T.J. Edwards
CB Kyler Gordon
Like Brisker and Gordon did last year, Wright proved enough as a rookie to be a foundational piece. That’s how talented Wright was in Year 1, and he should only get better.
Brisker has to stay healthy but is going to be the starting safety for at least the next two years. His physical abilities are undeniable. Stevenson also got the nod after just one season. He’s far from perfect and gave up big plays at times but should have been an All-Rookie corner with his stats (four picks, 16 passes defensed).
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Gordon’s play in the nickel last season was outstanding, and underrated, too.
Moore is a no-doubter, the playmaking threat the offense has lacked for years. Sweat and Johnson went to the Pro Bowl. Kmet signed an extension last summer and is locked in as the No. 1 tight end for the foreseeable future.
And as we approach free agency, we can see that Poles’ top two additions from last March are now part of the foundation. Edmunds and Edwards got off to slow starts, but both played at a high level in the second half of the season. They’ll be a major part of this defense for the next few seasons.
Possible foundational players
DT Gervon Dexter
When healthy, Jenkins is a force at guard. He’s probably in the Pro Bowl if he can play a full season. But there’s a reason he’s set to enter the final year of his rookie contract. It’s all about his durability.
Jones had a neck injury in 2023 that cost him some time, and that may weigh on Poles if one of the top tackles is there at No. 9. Like his predecessor, Charles Leno, Jones is solid, not spectacular, but he does have a lot of potential and could continue to grow. We’ll learn a lot about what the team thinks of him based on what they do in the next two months.
Dexter has the tools to be an impactful three-technique, but he always lagged behind Justin Jones in playing time. We’ll see what the Bears do at that position, with someone like Christian Wilkins available, but Dexter has more to show before moving up a tier.
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Veterans under contract for 2024, but what about beyond?
C Ryan Bates*
LG Nate Davis
* — not officially on the roster until he passes a physical on March 13
Bates is the starting center … for now. The Bears are taking on his contract and gave up a fifth-round pick for him, which isn’t usually a price paid for a backup. But it also won’t prevent them from drafting a center. Bates could be the guy for the next two seasons (his contract is up after 2025), but it all depends on who else Poles adds at the position.
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It’s probably unfair to judge Davis harshly based on his first season as a Bear as he dealt with a family loss at the start of the season and then a high ankle sprain. Still, there is an out in his contract after ’24. It’s hard to label him as a multiyear fixture based on a limited ’23 season.
An offseason priority should be adding an edge rusher to join Walker and Sweat. Like Davis, there’s an out in Walker’s deal where the Bears could move on without much financial sting after ’24. He’s been a vocal leader on the team and his impact ramped up after the addition of Sweat, but his future past ’24 isn’t as clear until we know who the Bears add at his position.
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Herbert is entering the final year of his rookie contract. His back-to-back 100-yard games in Weeks 15 and 16 were reminiscent of what he had done in place of David Montgomery in past seasons. It took him a few weeks to regain his form after a Week 5 ankle injury. But then he had only 28 yards in the season finale. At a non-premium position, this could be Herbert’s final season as a Bear. Pending a free-agent addition, Herbert is still in line to start.
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Core players at non-premium spots
LB Jack Sanborn
PK Cairo Santos
QB2 Tyson Bagent
CB Terell Smith
This is our new category to account for the depth that Poles has added. Billings turned out to be a strong addition last year and earned a new deal. Pickens didn’t flash as much as Dexter but will be in the rotation and should only improve. Those guys will be in the mix for the next couple of seasons but not necessarily at positions that garner a lot of attention.
Last year, we had Sanborn in the “possible foundational players” section. Then Edmunds and Edwards joined the team. As a strongside linebacker, Sanborn’s role isn’t as critical, but he continued to be a playmaker when asked to start for an injured teammate. His special teams value is also high.
Johnson might not be a bell-cow tailback, but his role on special teams and in the backfield will allow him to be part of this team for the next couple of seasons.
Santos had a record-setting season and signed a well-deserved contract extension. He’s made 90.4 percent of his field goal attempts as a Bear.
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We’ll see if the Bears would like to add a veteran backup quarterback if they draft Williams at No. 1, but Bagent more than proved himself last season as a viable backup.
You can never have enough corners, and the Bears really like Smith, the top backup at the position.
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Hoping to round out the 53
WR Tyler Scott
FB Khari Blasingame
KR/WR Velus Jones Jr.
OT Larry Borom
RB Travis Homer
LB Noah Sewell
CB Jaylon Jones
S Quindell Johnson
The rest of the players under contract include those who will likely get challenged for a roster spot by rookies or free-agent additions.
Scott and Sewell, 2023 draft picks, should be on the team next season. Sewell will retain his role as the top backup at linebacker and a core special teamer. Scott’s role is to be determined based on which receivers are brought in. The same can be said for Jones, a great kickoff returner who never could find any consistency on offense. Can his role in the third phase be enough to earn him a third season?
Blackwell is one of the league’s best on special teams, and he and Jones have proved to be reliable backups in the secondary. Cornerback is probably the Bears’ deepest position.
We’ll see what new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron thinks of the fullback position. Blasingame plays a lot on special teams, so he could still be safe. Borom, a swing tackle, is entering the last year of his rookie contract and is due for a raise thanks to the proven performance escalator.
Poles will add two top-10 picks — if he doesn’t trade back from No. 9 — a few starters from free agency and mid-round selections who could compete for regular roles to what is looking like a pretty good foundation.
The 2024 Bears roster has a chance to be the most well-rounded we’ve seen since 2018.
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(Top photo of DJ Moore: Quinn Harris / Getty Images)
