3 Hidden Traps That Could Derail Bears Season

The pressure will be on head coach Matt Nagy to bounce back from an 8-8 campaign last year that saw the Chicago Bears fail to qualify for the playoffs. The team is gaining steam as a dark horse NFC contender among analysts, and it would be hard for most fans to refute that viewpoint.

After all, the Bears boast one of the NFL's best defenses and really just need a little more support from their offense to take the next step. That, however, is exactly the problem. In our eyes, there is no saving Chicago's inept offense. Here are three hidden blemishes of that group that could prove disastrous to their playoff aspirations in 2020.

3. Lack of Production at Tight End

Chicago Bears tight end Jimmy Graham / Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The Bears' desperation to acquire a competent tight end came to a head when they signed Jimmy Graham to a two-year $16 million contract in free agency this offseason. Due to injuries and a lack of real pass-catching talent at the position, Chicago didn't have a single TE record at least 100 yards receiving for the first time since 1970. Think about how bizarre that is. Graham figures to help the cause, but if he couldn't produce regularly with Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback in Green Bay, why would he be able to do so with Mitch Trubisky and, or Nick Foles throwing his way?

2. Pedestrian Run Game

Chicago Bears RB David Montgomery / Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

No matter which way you slice it, the Bears' offense was an atrocity in 2019. Speaking of the run game, a lot was expected out of rookie running back David Montgomery, and it's fair to say that he was disappointing. However, fans in the Windy City would be cruel to fault him for it. Chicago's passing attack couldn't throw the ball down field, which led to the former Iowa State star facing stacked boxes on almost every snap. Offseason trade acquisition Nick Foles could help alleviate that issue, but he wasn't anything special with Jacksonville last year, meaning the Bears' run game, which ranked 27th in the NFL in yards per game, could continue to struggle.

1. Uncertainty Regarding Nick Foles

Chicago Bears QB Nick Foles / James Gilbert/Getty Images

In hindsight, the Bears trading for Nick Foles was understandable, even though they unquestionably jumped the gun at doing so. Outside of his Pro Bowl campaign in 2012 and Super Bowl run with Philadelphia in 2018, the 31-year-old has been a below-average NFL quarterback. Putting those outlier years aside, he's totaled 44 touchdowns compared to 33 interceptions. The fact of the matter is that nobody knows which Foles will show up in 2020, and that presents a potentially massive problem for Chicago.