What is Chicago Bears' most vulnerable position?
Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet (85) celebrates a touchdown with tight end Jimmy Graham (80) against the Detroit Lions in the second half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020. One "highly respected" NFL media outlet has preseason power rankings out right now with the Bears at 25. I have no idea. With analysis like that, how much longer it remains respected should be in doubt, but that's not the point here. No. But they are 28-20 over the last three seasons, have been to the playoffs twice and are lacking a playoff win only due to a notorious "Double Doink." There is no objective way to put them with the dregs of the NFL. They are a team stuck between 14 and 18 that could easily see their season go either way: back to the playoffs plus an extra win or two, or with a few key injuries and a couple of failed prospects to a five- or six-win team. While it will shock few if it happens, there is no reason to predict the latter, but there are solid talking points if you choose to go with the former and have a tolerance for egg on your face. I do love me a good sausage and cheese omelet. Add in David Montgomery, Tarik Cohen, Darnell Mooney, James Daniels, Eddie Goldman, Bilal Nichols, Roquan Smith and Jaylon Johnson as emerging young playmakers -- if not more -- and there is no debating the Bears have the talent to make a playoff run if they play even close to their ceilings. Just last season only Kelce and Robert Tonyan Jr. topped Graham's 8 TDs. But, of course, the line is very fine for these same Bears. A 2020 Nick Foles-like performance from Dalton, regression on the offensive line, fall off from a Khalil Mack or Allen Robinson, failures to rebound from Robert Quinn and/or Eddie Jackson, or a sudden epidemic of aging and a plunge to the basement wouldn't surprise at all. The obvious answer would seem to be offensive line or, more specifically, tackle. The Bears could be among the better groups in the league at guard and center, but Germain Ifedi, who played well there the last six weeks last season, failed at right tackle in Seattle, and rookie left tackle Teven Jenkins has never taken an NFL snap. Still, Jenkins' ceiling is high. There is no worry Ifedi would be bad enough to bring the whole line down, and Elijah Wilkinson, Alex Bars and Larry Borom at least provide reasonable depth. So the offensive line is no longer concern No. 1. Tight end, on the other hand, is also rife with potential for disaster. While it could be a real strength if Cole Kmet takes the expected long stride forward and Graham just does what he's done over the second half of his career, there's no guarantees. Behind Kmet and Graham we find J.P. Holtz, a solid blocker and special-teams contributor, who in two seasons over 30 games has 7 receptions for 91 yards. None last year, and that's with his scalp pressed firmly against his ceiling. After Holtz there is Jesper Horsted, who never got off the practice squad last year, and then rookies Darion Clark and Scooter Harrington. An injury to Kmet or Graham could basically take 12 personnel out of the Bears' repertoire and disrupt an entire offense likely to demand game management for success. If there is one more screaming need left for this club to insure its chance to just contend for a playoff spot, it is a tight end with at least some experience and success in his NFL past.