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Is It Time For The Chicago Bears To Completely Tear It Down?

By Ernest Shepard
Published on: 15:32 PST, Nov 22, 2016

The Chicago Bears are no longer the team of the city. That is a sobering reality for anyone who followed the team for years. This year for the Bears has been as painful as ever, prompting the need for several changes. First an important question must be asked — should the Chicago Bears tear everything down and start over?

This season seemed over a couple of weeks ago. After starting the year 1-5 the Bears showed some signs of life when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings before going into the bye week. A strut was met with some swagger, possibly even some arrogance and overconfidence. Bears’ players walked about as the best-ever 2-5 football team. And the Bears had a good reason to feel that way.

Finally healthy, the Chicago Bears were ready to take on the games remaining on the NFL schedule. Seven of the final eight games were against NFC opponents. Things were lined up perfectly. Plus, neither of the teams in the Bears’ division, the NFC North had established themselves as the front-runner. Coming up with a more ideal setup for a then 2-5 team is near impossible. The Chicago Bears have had some obstacles removed, only to disappoint themselves and the fan base. And now it is about to get worse.

Injuries and unexpected suspensions are the narrative for this Bears’ season.

The Chicago Bears started the NFL season with several key players on the injury report. Nearly everyone got healthy after the win over the Vikings. Everything was great for the Bears until the wheels fell off.

What followed was injuries to offensive linemen Kyle Long and Bobby Massie. Then wide receiver Alshon Jeffery was suspended for taking a banned substance. That happened last week. This week, the Bears lost guard Josh Sitton, tight end Zach Miller, and quarterback Jay Cutler to the injured reserve list. To add insult to injury, linebacker Jerrell Freeman was hit with a four-game ban for a negative drug test.

Uncertainty is staring at the Bears. That uncertainty should turn into a full tear down of the Bears from the outside in.

Losing Jay Cutler to a torn labrum (courtesy of the Daily Herald) will force the Bears to reevaluate the quarterback position. Not that the Bears did not have to address the position prior to the injury taking place, but now there is no excuse.

The solution will likely be for the Bears to take a play-caller early in the NFL draft. Bringing in a rookie quarterback does not solve the problem. It remains to be seen if the current Bears’ coaching staff is the right group to develop a QB.

Yahoo Sports’ ranks NFL coaches and general managers who are on the hot seat. The list is called the “Hot Seat Index.” In last week’s rankings Bears’ head coach John Fox sat at the top of the list. The “Hot Seat Index” compares Fox’s tenure with the Bears to that of the coach he replaced, Marc Trestman.

“The Bears fired Marc Trestman after two years, a 13-19 record and no playoff appearances. Chicago is currently 8-17 under Fox and would have to go 5-2 the rest of this season just to match Trestman’s mark.”

It is embarrassing where the Chicago Bears are now. Fans in Chicago are becoming apathetic about the team that was once the object of affections for Chicagoans.

Jay Cutler’s injury, barring a strange turn of events, will signal the end of his run with the Bears. Alshon Jeffery is a free agent, who will likely want to be elsewhere. The cupboard will be bare. It is sensible to start from scratch.

Starting from scratch would require the Bears to fire John Fox and many of his coaches. The Bears would also have to make some prudent decisions regarding several free agents. As of now, there is no identity on the team. Aside from a few players on both sides of the ball, there are few things in place which could remotely establish an identity. Some people do not believe that will happen with the current coaching staff.

If the Chicago Bears want to energize their fans, they must change some things. The Tennessee Titans are the perfect example of what the Bears should be — a young team, with an emerging defense and an exciting young quarterback. The Chicago Bears’ defense is coming around, but beyond that, nothing really gets fans wanting to watch. They are still celebrating the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series in a city that once viewed the Bears as the kings of the conversation. Not that tearing the Bears down will win the city back, but it will at least get fans talking.

[Featured Image by Michael Reaves/Getty Images]

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