5 Chicago Bears players with the most to prove this year

The Chicago Bears are a team that many love to hate — especially the national media.

If you believed a word any of those talking heads said, you’d think the Bears are in for an 0-16 season and Justin Fields is going to end up like Cade McNown.

But, this is a Bears team under new leadership with a new attitude — and that attitude is of a strong work ethic and resilience. Under Matt Eberflus and his staff, this team is now out to prove everybody wrong.

General manager Ryan Poles has not done as much as many would have liked in terms of adding talent to this roster in his first year. But, maybe the first-year GM has done enough for Fields, specifically, and we just can’t see past the simple-minded negativity.

The Chicago Bears have much to prove in 2022, but a few select players will have the most pressure.

Poles put a great coaching staff in place who will surely get the most out of this roster. It’s hard to gauge just how much of a difference this new staff will make, and that’s why it’s easiest to nitpick and criticize at the moment. After all, it is only May, and we haven’t even gotten to training camp yet.

The Bears still have a lot of talent on this roster, especially if a few particular players step up to the plate. We know what we’re going to see out of guys like Roquan Smith and David Montgomery — two of the hardest-working players on this roster. They’re leaders. They’re consistent.

What about the rest of the team? Maybe, just maybe, the Bears actually have a competent roster. It will require plenty of work from everyone involved, and a handful of key guys are going to have to quiet the doubters. But, there is a competitive team here, deep down.

Five specific players are under some pressure in 2022, and must perform in order to silence some of the constant criticism coming Chicago’s way. Let’s dig into what might be the five biggest X-factors for the Bears this year.