Chicago Bears: Fans finally have hope about upcoming Bears season

The Chicago Bears made a series of big moves this summer, showing they’re finally willing to take risks to win. It’s nice to root for a team that’s relevant again, and Bears fans should savor this moment.

Up until this offseason, the Chicago Bears seemed stuck in mediocrity, losing game after game to end up perennial cellar-dwellers in the NFC North. But things have changed, and suddenly the Bears find themselves in a position to thrive in one of the toughest divisions in the league.

The Bears haven’t had a winning season since 2012, and they haven’t made the playoffs since 2010. For many seasons, fans watched as aimless coaches like Marc Trestman and John Fox led the team nowhere. One of the NFL’s most storied franchises became a laughingstock. Now, the attitude towards this team feels much different.

Matt Nagy was named the new head coach of the Bears in January, and it appeared that the team would finally start being aggressive on offense again. Nagy, the former offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs, came up with creative schemes to get stars like Kareem Hunt and Tyreek Hill the ball in space.

The Bears looked totally incompetent on both sides of the ball at different times during the stretch of losing seasons. In the Trestman years, the team had one season of offensive success but experienced humiliating defeats like the 55-14 loss to the Packers in Green Bay. Under Fox, it seemed like the offense was allergic to passing the ball.

All of this will likely change with the addition of Nagy and several key free agents. The front office opened the checkbook this offseason, spending $247 million on free agent signings and contract extensions. The Bears inked deals with a couple of free agent weapons for quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Tight end Trey Burton and wide receiver Allen Robinson should boost the passing game.

On defense, the Bears re-signed cornerback Kyle Fuller and drafted standout linebacker Roquan Smith. Then they made one of the boldest moves in Bears history by trading away two 1st-round draft picks to acquire a former defensive player of the year in Khalil Mack. The outside linebacker instantly relieves the concern over the lack of a pass rush this season.

After the Bears traded for Mack, they signed him to a six-year, $141 million contract with $90 million guaranteed. Mack is now the highest paid defensive player in  NFL history. It shows that GM Ryan Pace isn’t holding back this year. Opportunities to acquire a player like Mack don’t come along every day, and for the Bears to make that kind of move is simply electrifying.

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This sets up even more excitement for Sunday’s huge showdown with the Packers at Lambeau Field. While the coaches admitted they don’t know how much Mack will play on Sunday, he will be in the defensive rotation with his sights set on punishing quarterback Aaron Rodgers. It adds a level of hype to this rivalry that hasn’t been there in recent years.

Even if the Bears underperform this year, tons of potential exists on this roster. The Bears went from having the third oldest roster in the NFL in 2014 to fielding one of the 10 youngest this season. There’s a core of 10 defensive players that are 28 years old or younger and under contract through next season.

The Bears released a video with the slogan “#BeObsessed” on Thursday. It was tough to obsess over this team for the past several seasons. Now, I can easily obsess over this talented squad. No matter what happens this season, the Bears are back. They’ll face a buzzsaw of a division this year, and they actually have the chance to compete. It’s long overdue, and it feels amazing.