Justin Fields: Players are ‘excited’ about offseason additions originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Unlike last season, the Bears have a lot more to be excited about this upcoming season, mainly the new players the front office added to the roster.
“I feel like we’ve got a lot of pieces on offense and defense,” Fields said to ChicagoBears.com. “I know everyone’s excited [about] really just the whole team and the players we’ve got. So [we’re] just going to keep working, keep stacking each and every day and get better.”
Ryan Poles & Co. entered this offseason with a rebuilding team’s dream capital.
The Bears, at one point, owned the No. 1 pick in the draft along with the league’s most cap space by a wide margin. For a team entering the next stages of its rebuild, the Bears owned the best ammunition one could possess this offseason.
In March, just after the NFL combine, the Bears sent their coveted No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a haul. They received the No. 9 and no. 61 picks in the most recent draft, along with a 2024 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick and wide receiver DJ Moore.
“I’ve known DJ for a little bit now,” Fields told ChicagoBears.com. “I can tell he loves the game, he’s a hard worker and, of course, he’s talented. He’s proven that over the past few years playing with the Panthers.”
MORE: Justin Fields on DJ Moore: ‘I can tell he loves the game’
In free agency, the Bears bolstered the offensive line with Nate Davis, the presumed right guard. They also added defensive linemen DeMarcus Walker, Andrew Billings and Rasheem Green. Their biggest splashes came from signing linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and TJ Edwards.
In the draft, they filled gaps where needed. Darnell Wright, the presumed starting right tackle, headlined the Bears’ draft class as the No. 10 picks. Their avoidance of Jalen Carter showed plenty about the direction they want to take the team.
Again, they addressed the defensive line with Gervon Dexter Jr. and Zach Pickens. They also added to the offensive skill players with Cincinnati receiver, Tyler Scott, and Texas running back, Roschon Johnson – who has received an abundant amount of praise.
Is their roster good enough to make noise in the NFC North? Most project they will finish third behind the growing Detroit Lions and last season’s champion Minnesota Vikings.
The Bears still have a long way until they’re ready to contend for a championship. This is a good thing. Rome wasn’t built in a day. And this year’s free agency class wasn’t potent enough for Poles to break the bank.
How far can the Bears take their current roster?
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