(670 The Score) After going all in across the last three seasons and coming away without a playoff victory, the Bears have entered a transition phase of sorts.
Bears coach Matt Nagy was retained for a fourth season and general manager Ryan Pace returned for a seventh year after back-to-back 8-8 regular seasons. They now reside in a territory in which the team needs to show progress in the 2021 season while simultaneously building for a brighter future with rookie quarterback Justin Fields as the centerpiece. It's why Nagy believes the Bears are both in win-now and development modes, as he told the Ross Tucker Football Podcast.
"We feel like right now, with this roster that we've built over the last several years, that we really believe that right now we're in a great position to go out and win a lot of games and win right now," Nagy said. "With that being said, we are building somewhat of a younger roster now where we as a coaching staff have to be able to develop these players that we're drafting.
"We're so excited for the future and the 2021 season."
Fields is a big reason why the Bears are so excited for their future. Chicago traded up nine spots to the No. 11 pick to select him in late April. For now, the Bears plan to enter the 2021 season with veteran Andy Dalton as their starting quarterback and Fields backing him up, a nod to their desire to win in 2021 and develop their roster.