Chicago Bears will be back on Sunday for real football this time around.
The Bears will be hosting the Tennessee Titans to kick of a regular season that will be filled with a lot of high expectations .
What better way to celebrate the start of game week than giving 5 semi-bold predictions surrounding the team and some of the main players on the roster. Here are those goals certain players could reach in 2024.
1. Kyler Gordon reaches 3+ sacks on the season
This first prediction might come as a surprise by having a defensive back rack up three or more sacks in one season, but it's actually more common than you'd think.
In 2023, four players reached the mark in the position group (Antoine Winfield Jr., Kyle Hamilton, Trent McDuffie, and Harrison Smith. Since 2020, five other players have been able to reach that number.
If there's one player in the Bears' secondary who could pull it off, it'd be nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon. Gordon only has one career sack in the regular season, but after adding one in the preseason a few days ago, head coach Matt Eberflus will be drawing up more pass rush looks for the young corner.
“We feel really good about what Kyler can bring," Eberflus said . He has a really wide range set in terms of his skills. He’s good at man, he’s good at zone, and he’s good at pressure. We like sending him and he’s good at it.”
As for Gordon, he's more than excited for the opportunity to come after the opposing quarterback more in 2024.
"I like to blitz. Everyone likes to blitz," Gordon said . "Everyone likes to be the aggressor and not the receiver. I feel like that's the kind of approach we take."
2. Keenan Allen hits 100 receptions for 6th time in his career
The ageless Keenan Allen will be joining a new team in 2024 after spending the first 11 seasons of his historic career with the Chargers.
Allen will be a great addition to the Bears' offense and his connection with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is already shining . Allen's sure-handedness and crafty route running ability will make him a popular target for his new quarterback.
"Just try to make it easy for him," Allen said . "Make sure we're seeing things eye to eye and get to the spots that he likes, whatever spots that he can see versus what I'm seeing. And then just being on the same page."
Allen has gone over 100 receptions in 5 of the last 7 seasons. With the Bears' loaded WR room, it'll be a tough task considering Allen isn't going to be the only top playmaker to target. However, it's still an achievable goal for the 32-year-old.
3. Tyrique Stevenson leads the team in interceptions
The Bears second-year cornerback already had a strong rookie campaign in this department after leading all rookies in interceptions (4) and finishing tied for first on the team. Everything about his development going into Year 2 signals more takeaways are on the way for Tyrique Stevenson.
The obvious difference in this offseason compared to last summer is the level of competition Stevenson has faced everyday. At practice, Stevenson has been forced to guard Allen, DJ Moore, and first-round rookie Rome Odunze. Those battles have already prepared him for anything he could face this season.
"I’m 'Him,' pretty much," Stevenson said when asked what he's learned from battling the Bears top WRs. "I can cover pretty much any receiver in the league. All I’ve got to do is stay working hard, stay consistent and just lock in on myself."
The other key to help this prediction come true is the player lining up across the field from Stevenson. Fellow cornerback Jaylon Johnson was one of the most lockdown cornerbacks in the league in 2023 and is looking to take another leap forward. Opposing QBs would be wise to throw the ball away from Johnson, which means more passes coming Stevenson's way once again.
4. Velus Jones Jr. finishes 2nd on the team in rushing yards
After making a pseudo position change a few weeks back, Velus Jones Jr. looks like a natural working out of the backfield. After struggling to make an impact as a downfield pass catcher, the Bears coaches are excited from what they've seen out of Jones in this new role on offense.
"Trying to defend that when he comes into the game is a little bit different than just a normal type of receiver or a guy that can line up in the backfield," Eberflus explained . "I think it creates a little time-on-task practice wise for the opponent as well as preparation wise in the film study."
The Bears still have a stable of capable running backs to handle the work in the backfield with D'Andre Swift as the starter and Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson behind him. However, depending on how many touches Jones gets out of the backfield, I could easily see him finishing second in rushing yards on the roster. He already ranked fourth in the entire league with 158 yards during the preseason.
5. Caleb Williams becomes the Bears first 4,000 yard passer
This is the prediction Bears fans have been hoping for since... well... forever. And I mean that quite literally. If you don't know by now, the Bears are the only team in the NFL to never have a 4,000 yard quarterback. Not once in 104 years.
Everyone is hoping that the team's new franchise quarterback can be the first to buck that trend, and who says he can't do it in his first NFL season?
Only 10 quarterbacks reached the 4,000 yard mark during the 2023 season. Nine reached that number the year before that. For Williams to get to 4,000 yards, that would mean he would be among the top players at the position as a rookie. Good news is, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud showed that can be possible in 2023.
Related: Bears release first unofficial depth chart ahead of Week 1 matchup against Titans
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