As the rebuilding process continues, the Chicago Bears hope that 2023 marks the season in which they take the next step and secure a playoff berth for the first time since 2020. 

How bad were the Chicago Bears last year? So bad that they had the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Of course, they didn't use that pick. Confident in their quarterback of the future with Justin Fields under centre, the Bears traded out of the top spot with the Carolina Panthers. The haul Chicago received in return puts the franchise in a good position for both immediate and future success. 

Let's break down the Bears heading into the 2023 season.

What	NFL 2023/24 season
When	All across the USA with three games scheduled for London and two for Germany
When	Thursday, 7th September 2023 - Sunday, 11th February, 2024
How to watch	Sky Sports and NFL Game Pass
Bears Odds	Chiefs 11/2, 49ers 7/1, Bills 8/1, Eagles 8/1, Bengals 9/1, Cowboys 12/1

Chicago Bears 2022 season recap

For most of the way last season it looked the Houston Texans would secure the No. 1 pick in the draft. However, the Bears overtook them for the worst record in the NFL thanks to a 10-game losing streak combined with the Texans' 32-31 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 18. Yes, Chicago was the worst of the worst. 

It finished 28th in total offence, dead last (by a mile) in passing offence, 29th in total defence and 31st in rushing defence. 

During their 10-game, season-ending skid, the Bears suffered defeats by 20, 21, 22, 31 and 16 points. However, there were at least some signs of encouragement. 

Fields established himself as one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the sport, rushing for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns. The defense finished in the upper half of the NFL with 25 forced turnovers and Chicago's turnover differential was a respectable -2 – not bad for a team with the worst record in the league! 

Although they did endure plenty of blowout losses, the Bears also had defeats of five, three, one, three and five points to go along with their trio of victories. With a handful of exceptions, they were generally competitive.

Which players have Chicago Bears signed?

WR DJ Moore 
TE Robert Tonyan 
LB Tremaine Edmunds 
DE Rasheem Green 
LB TJ Edwards 
RB D'Onta Foreman

Which players have left the Chicago Bears?

RB David Montgomery 
WR Byron Pringle 
DE Al-Quadin Muhammad 
LB Nicholas Morrow 
OT Riley Reiff 
DT Angelo Blackson 
WR N'Keal Harry

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Houston Texans season preview

Carolina Panthers season preview

Who is the Chicago Bears head coach?

Matt Eberflus is heading into his second season as head coach of the Bears after replacing Matt Nagy prior to the 2022 campaign. 

Eberflus had previously spent four years as defensive coordinator of the Colts, a stint that was preceded by gigs with the Cleveland Browns (linebackers coach) and Dallas Cowboys (also linebackers coach). 

The 52-year-old's primary task in 2023 will be turning the defence around – especially against the run.

Chicago Bears 2023 schedule

As always, the Bears play everyone in the NFC North twice – home and away. They also square off against the NFC South and AFC West in 2023. 

The NFC South is expected to be one of the worst divisions in football, but that part of the schedule could be offset by the potential strength of the AFC West. 

Chicago also has dates with the Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns as fellow last-place teams in their respective divisions from 2022.

What are the Chicago Bears' hopes for the season?

Look no further than the title odds in the NFC North to know that Chicago has a chance to contend in 2023. The Detroit Lions are 7/5 favourites to win the division, followed by the Minnesota Vikings (3/1), the Bears (10/3) and the Aaron Rodgers-less Green Bay Packers (4/1). 

The Bears are also 25/1 to win the NFC and 50/1 to win the Super Bowl. They are 33/20 to make the playoffs and the over/under for their regular-season win total is 7.5 (over 10/13; under 1/1). 

Key factors for Chicago will be Fields' development as a passer and the defence's overall improvement. Fields is already the most dangerous player at his position with his legs, and now he has a real pass-catching weapon at his disposal in Moore. 

The former Ohio State star will also be helped by the first-round pick of offensive tackle Darnell Wright out of Tennessee.