(670 The Score) The Bears are entering the new season with plenty of intrigue and hope – largely thanks to rookie quarterback Justin Fields waiting in the wings to start – but also a host of concerns as they come off an 8-8 regular season in 2020 in which key veterans underperformed and after which they had to release standout cornerback Kyle Fuller in the offseason in a cap-clearing move.
On his show Tuesday, 670 The Score host Laurence Holmes dedicated a segment to sharing his top five concerns for the Bears as their opener against the Rams looms Sunday. Here's a look at what has Holmes worried.
1) Matt Nagy's in-game decision-making, lack of adjustments
"My concern with him is when the game is going on and maybe things aren't going up the way you drew them up on the whiteboard, what's your counter-punch? … Has he matured enough as a coach to understand that the way you drew it up might not be the way it ends up happening? And can he match wits with smart coaches?"
2) Offensive tackle positions, including 39-year-old Jason Peters lined up to start on left side
"Does he have enough left to protect Andy Dalton for a few weeks? To just see if this offense can work? Until they figure out who else is developing. You can't get ready to play football without playing football. Tackle overall is a concern for me."
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3) Edge rusher Robert Quinn's health, form
"The scary thing about his numbers last year is not just that he ended up with two sacks. It's the length of time between them. Robert Quinn had a sack in the second game of the season and then didn't have his second sack until the 14th game in the season … If Robert Quinn doesn't play well, it's going to be hard – not impossible – but it's going to be hard for the Bears defense to take a step forward when it comes to taking the ball away. Pressure busts pipes. That's what it's about."
4) Cornerback
"I like Jaylon Johnson a lot … After that, everyone is a question mark to me – every single person."
5) Wide receiver depth
"Allen Robinson is all-world to me, I think he's so good. And I think Darnell Mooney has a chance to be good, although I do think the Bears have probably put a little bit too much praise on him. But I know that he can be an NFL wide receiver. The rest of their depth … when you start to look at the production you've gotten from these guys (in recent years), from Damiere Byrd, from Marquise Goodwin, there's not a lot there … I'm not convinced they have enough quality depth."
Listen to Holmes' full segment below.
