The Chicago Bears are at the forefront of a critical season.
Last season, they owned the NFL's worst record, notching three wins on the season. However, with an upgraded roster and another offseason under the new regime, the Bears are bound for improvement.
The question remains --- how much improvement?
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Question marks still surround the likes of Justin Fields, the trenches and the offensive skill players --- particularly the wide receivers behind DJ Moore.
That said, here's where national outlets slot the Bears in their power rankings ahead of Week 1. Don't forget about NBC Sports Chicago's Insider Josh Schrock's power rankings ahead of kickoff, too.
CBS
Pre-Week 1 ranking: 27th
Bears News
"They will be better this season, but I think their real push will come in 2024. The offense with Justin Fields will make strides in the passing game."
ESPN
Pre-Week 1 ranking: 24th
"The Bears' wide receiver room is more crowded now than it was during Jones' rookie season, which leaves little room for error when it comes to issues of ball security. Last season, Jones fumbled three times and muffed two punts in the fourth quarter of losses, which cost him his job as a returner. He has had steady work at receiver with the second-team offense, and coaches see a potential for him to be used on jet sweeps and gadget plays. But Jones' path to the 53-man roster comes via his special teams contributions, and a muffed punt in the preseason opener against Tennessee doesn't do much to help his case."
FOX
Pre-Week 1 ranking: 25th
"They call Chicago the City of Broad Shoulders, and Justin Fields is going to need them to carry the weight of these expectations. I don't think there's a player in the NFL facing this much hype — which is kind of crazy considering the Bears finished with the worst record in the league last year. Hopefully, Fields makes a leap now that there's talent around him on offense. If nothing else, Bears GM Ryan Poles needs to see that, or he needs to hunt for a new QB in the spring. If Fields can answer that question, the season is a success. I know the NFC North is down, but a playoff push feels like it's at least a year away."
NFL.com
Pre-Week 1 ranking: 26th
"Justin Fields' preseason work was fine, albeit brief. But with Fields due for a possible extension next offseason, everyone knows how important this season is to determine his future with the Bears, who are waiting for him to turn the proverbial corner. GM Ryan Poles recently said he needs to see more steps in his QB's development. "Want those sack numbers to come down, interceptions to come down, make good reads, protect himself, just see him take that next step," Poles said. The dream, of course, would be for Fields to make a Jalen Hurts-esque leap from Year 2 to 3. Their second-year numbers actually compare quite favorably, although Fields' sack rate (14.7% last season to Hurts' 5.7% in 2021) and interception rate (3.5% last season to Hurts' 2.1% in 2021) truly are concerning outliers until proven otherwise."
The Athletic
Pre-Week 1 ranking: 24th
"Best-case scenario: DJ Moore does for Fields what Brown did for Hurts and what Stefon Diggs did for Josh Allen. With a true No. 1 receiver and a much-improved offensive line, Fields goes from last in the league in EPA per pass attempt to the back half of the top 10 while remaining the most explosive rusher in the league at the position. Offseason additions help turn the defense from awful to fine, and the Bears steal the NFC North crown at 10-7.
"Worst-case scenario: Fields’ crazy-high sack rate turns out to be more than a function of a bad offensive line, and he’s unable to avoid negative plays. The season plays out without giving Chicago a firm answer on Fields’ future, while Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Richardson all look great (and the Carolina Panthers, whose first-round pick the Bears own, make the playoffs)."