For Bears President Ted Phillips, winning the Super Bowl isn’t just some loose, theoretical hope. It’s the hard goal for his team this season.
Ted Phillips: "We’re just dying for a winner. And we’re not afraid to say that we’re out there going for championships."
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 4, 2018
And, hey, it might not happen this year, but you’ve got to put it out there, right? I think so. And let’s not pretend like the Bears haven’t clearly positioned themselves to go for it all within the next, say, four years or so, while quarterback Mitch Trubisky is still on his rookie deal.
Chicago opens up the 2018 season with all the fixings to be a winner. A developing quarterback who was at the top of his draft class, new head coach with a modernized offensive scheme developed while under one of the league’s most successful coaches, shiny new toys for the quarterback to target, and a bulked up defense that can carry the load if the offense comes across hard times. All of this represents how much the Bears believe Trubisky will make the most of what’s around him during the next four years of his rookie contract.
To be clear, in order for the Bears to reach the mountaintop, they’ll need Trubisky to be great. But to make sure that happens, the team made major commitments all across the roster.
Khalil Mack might have been the final piece of the 53-man puzzle for the 2018 team, but he wasn’t the only big-ticket transaction the Bears were able to bring in because their quarterback was locked into a rookie salary. Chicago guaranteed major paper to wide receivers Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel, as well as tight end Trey Burton. These expenditures upgraded a woeful wide receivers corps and should go a long way toward Trubisky reaching his potential.
It might appear as if the Bears opened up their window overnight by throwing around money in free agency and making splashy trades. And sure, those moves forced the window open, but the foundation was created via the draft. Jordan Howard, Tarik Cohen, Leonard Floyd, Eddie Goldman, Adrian Amos, Eddie Jackson, Roquan Smith, Nick Kwiatkoski, Cody Whitehair, James Daniels, and others are a part of a young core that is approaching its prime together. Adding young vets like Danny Trevathan, Akiem Hicks, and Prince Amukamara brings established veteran presences who have been a part of winning teams to help guide the young guys in the right direction. None of this happened by accident.
Everything the Bears accomplished this offseason was a show of faith in Trubisky. Now, the ball is in his hands. It’s not just showtime. It’s put up or shut up time.