Chicago Bears 2018-19 - NFL Season Preview & Future Odds Prediction

The Chicago Bears will start the season with Matt Nagy as their new head coach. The Bears were in need of change having lost 10 or more games for four consecutive seasons and finishing last in the NFC North each of those four seasons. The first-time NFL head coach is just 40-years old and hopes to duplicate the success another young coach Sean McVay had with the Rams last season. Mitchell Trubisky returns for his second season as the Bears starting quarterback following a lackluster rookie year. Trubisky started seven games and finished with 7 touchdown passes and 7 interceptions. The team’s biggest weakness was at wide receiver and free agency signings have changed that. The Bears signed Taylor Gabriel and Allen Robinson as well as Trey Burton at tight end. Robinson torn an ACL in last year’s season opener and could be less than 100% to start the season. Chase Daniel was signed to backup Trubisky after three seasons in Kansas City where Nagy was quarterback’s coach. Robinson caught 80 passes in 2015 for 1,400 yards and 14 TD, and 73 receptions in 2016 before playing just three snaps in 2017. Speedster Tarik Cohen out of the backfield will help the receiving game. Jordan Howards has amassed 2,435 yards rushing in two seasons, but Cohen will play on passing downs and more often under Nagy than last season. The offensive line has question marks but the nucleus that started most games last season returns while a second round pick was used to draft James Daniels from Iowa to play left guard. Depth on the line is an issue.

Last season the defense was tenth in yards allowed and ninth in points allowed, but lacked an ability to create turnovers. The defense intercepted just eight passes for the third straight season. Akiem Hicks, the star left end is the defensive MVP. He is strong against the run and has a combined 15.5 sacks in two seasons with the Bears. Eddie Goldman returns at nose tackle, while Mitch Unrein left in free agency, giving Jonathan Bullard first shot at the other defensive end. At linebacker, Leonard Floyd returns with great quickness, speed and agility as a pass rusher off the edge. Aaron Lynch was signed and hopes are he will return to his strong sacking days of two years ago. Roquan Smith, the team’s first round pick out of Georgia will give them strength inside alongside Danny Travathan. Two cornerbacks Prince Amukamara and Kyle Fuller were re-signed giving the secondary a strong foundation.