Chicago Bears: Top candidates for regression in 2019

The Chicago Bears look a little bit different than they did last year. With that in mind, which players are in line for regression in 2019?

It happens every year, for one reason or another. Regression is part of the game. For the Chicago Bears, regression used to mean something along the lines of the team going from being a 10-loss club to a 12-loss club.

Regression used to be a bad thing in Chicago.

Wait, is regression ever a good thing, anyways? Sure, it can be. In the case of this year’s Bears team, there might be a few cases where you see regression in some players, and it isn’t even due to that particular player’s talent level.

A perfect example is former Bears running back Jordan Howard, now a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Over Howard’s first two seasons, he looked like one of the best running backs in the game. He was incredibly consistent — a true banger. Howard rushed for over 2,400 yards and 15 touchdowns in his first two seasons, establishing himself as one of the few workhorse backs in the league.

Last year, however, Howard saw his production dip in a big way, rushing for 935 yards. Why? Head coach Matt Nagy wanted to see the offense take a different direction, and Howard’s skill set didn’t quite fit in all the way.

You saw Tarik Cohen continue to emerge as a big-time weapon. You saw the Bears add a ton to their receiving corps. Nagy took the offense in a completely different, new and exciting direction. Was Howard a bad running back last year? I don’t think so.

With that in mind, which Bears players have a significant chance at regression this year? There are a few whom are presented that possibility. It won’t be because they aren’t talented — in fact, quite the contrary. Let’s get into a few of the candidates.