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Five Bears not named Caleb Williams who will determine playoff fate in 2024 originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Caleb Williams and the Bears will enter the 2024 season with playoff expectations after an offseason filled with franchise-altering moves.
Williams is aware of the weight of those expectations, and the No. 1 overall pick is choosing to embrace the pressure instead of pretending it doesn’t exist.
“What’s the reason to duck?” Williams said at his introductory press conference. “It’s here. There’s no reason to duck. I’m here. [Rome Odunze’s] here. Keenan Allen, the top-five defense that we had last year, special teams, all the new roles – whatever. We’re here. I’m excited. I know everybody’s excited. The Bears fans are excited from what I’ve heard and seen, and there’s no reason to duck. Attack it head first and go get it.”
Williams has taken up all of the oxygen surrounding the Bears since he arrived at Halas Hall.
He’ll be story 1A and 1B this season for the fast-improving Bears. But the Bears’ NFC North and playoff hopes won’t rest squarely on his uber-talented right arm.
Here are five key Bears besides Williams who will be vital to playoff hopes this fall.
Let’s start with the most obvious choice.
Head coach Matt Eberflus has talked for three years about the three-technique being the engine of his defense, and the Bears drafted Dexter in the second round last year to grow into that game-wrecking motor.
Dexter got off to a slow start last season, but he started to find something during the back half of the season.
Per Pro Football Focus, Dexter notched four sacks and 18 pressures in the Bears’ final seven games. He recorded just 11 pressures in the first 10 games and did not register a sack.
The Bears did little to address their defensive line needs in the offseason. They watched defensive tackle Justin Jones leave for the Arizona Cardinals in free agency and have so far been content with fourth-round pick Austin Booker and…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/five-bears-not-named-caleb-163120226.html
Author : NBC Sports Chicago
Publish date : 2024-06-24 16:31:20
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