Three questions the Bears must answer during the final six weeks of the 2020 season

Believe it or not, the 2020 Bears have something to play for.

Yes, the offense has been ugly and ranks 31st in the NFL. But the Bears are one game out of a wild card playoff spot with six weeks remaining and an enviable schedule ahead. After a brief respite, the Bears return to action Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

What could go wrong?

With six games to go, the Bears face the Packers twice, the Detroit Lions, the Houston Texans, the Minnesota Vikings and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Outside of Green Bay, everyone else has a losing record.

What can we learn over the next six weeks? A lot.

I’m going to take a look at three questions the Bears must answer in the final month and a half of the season. In doing this, I’m looking at the next six weeks under a microscope. Obviously, the biggest questions facing this team have implications well beyond 2020. Neither Nick Foles nor Mitch Trubisky is likely the long-term answer at quarterback. But the Bears aren’t going to find a long-term answer at the position in the next six weeks.

I’m leaving draft questions and free agency speculation for another time. Looking at what’s immediately ahead, what can the Bears figure out about the personnel they have now?

Here are three questions the Bears face in the final six games of 2020:

1. Could a QB switch (again) salvage the 2020 season?

As of Tuesday, we still don’t know who will start at quarterback for the Bears on Sunday. Let’s assume both quarterbacks are healthy. There’s a strong argument to be made for reverting back to Trubisky. If nothing else, Trubisky’s legs give the Bears a weapon Foles simply doesn’t possess. On a team averaging a league-worst 78.2 rushing yards per game, any additional weapon needs to be utilized.

Trubisky’s ability to run for a first down isn’t going to carry the Bears to the Super Bowl, but it might give them a first down here and there. It’s sad to say it, but at this point that’s what the Bears need. They must avoid these stretches of three or four consecutive three-and-outs that have become the norm. Trubisky has thrown some bad interceptions over his career, but Foles’ eight interceptions in eight games aren't helping.

A playoff appearance wouldn't change the uncertain outlook for the Bears' future. But it would give them something to play for. According to FiveThirtyEight's NFL predictions, if the Bears lose to the Packers twice but win the other four games, they have a 70% chance of reaching the playoffs. With this defense, the Bears can beat those four teams. They just need competent quarterback play.

It's also possible the decision will be made for Nagy simply based on who is healthier. We will know as soon as Wednesday afternoon if Foles and/or Trubisky returns to practice.

2. Which of these offensive linemen are worth keeping?

The quarterback position and the offensive line are the most pressing needs heading into the offseason. The Bears have already played themselves out of position for the top quarterbacks in the draft. They are more likely to pick in the teens than in the top 10. Maybe they can find a quarterback they like, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they draft an offensive lineman in the first round.

They have major issues on the line. They first must determine who they want to keep from this current group.

Cody Whitehair is under contract through 2024 and isn’t going anywhere. James Daniels enters the final year of his rookie deal and isn’t going anywhere. Germain Ifedi, Rashaad Coward and Jason Spriggs are all unrestricted free agents after 2020. The only reason the Bears bring any of them back is as a stopgap measure.

Left tackle Charles Leno is under contract through next year and right tackle Bobby Massie is under contract through 2022. Both will cost a lot in 2021 – Leno is slated to earn $11 million, Massie will make $9 million. With a budget crunch looming because of the pandemic, one or both of Leno and Massie are candidates to be cut. I don’t think the Bears want to find two new tackles in the same year, so I suspect they keep one of them. One plausible scenario is they keep Leno, draft a tackle and plug the rookie in at right tackle. Then when Leno’s contract is up, they move the new guy to left tackle. The 2021 line might look something like this: Leno at left tackle, Daniels at left guard, Whitehair at center, then you probably plug in Ifedi or Coward or another cheap free agent at right guard, plus a rookie at right tackle.

It wouldn't be an All-Pro offensive line, but the fact is the Bears don’t have the cap space to go out and sign an expensive fix. After years of neglect, they simply need to draft a lineman in the first or second round.

3. What do the Bears have in tight end Cole Kmet?

The Bears drafted Kmet 43rd overall in April. They talked him up all summer. Nagy raved about Kmet’s football IQ, his smarts, his ability to pick up the concepts and understand the NFL game, not to mention how legitimate his 6-foot-6, 262-pound frame is at the tight end position.

Here we are going into Week 12 and Kmet’s stat line reads: seven receptions, 86 yards, one touchdown.

Every week Nagy talks about creating more opportunities for Kmet in the passing game. Yet, something is keeping that from happening. It’s time to see what Kmet can do. Jimmy Graham has been a highlight for the Bears offense, particularly in the red zone, but Graham is not going to be a long-term solution at tight end. He might not even be back next season. If Kmet is going to be a big-time contributor in 2021, it has to start with more opportunities in 2020.

Kmet played 70% of the Bears’ offensive snaps when we last saw them against the Vikings on Nov. 16. That is a promising step forward. Even so, they threw the ball his way three times. He caught one pass for seven yards. I’m not advocating for Kmet to see 10 targets a game, but four or five is doable. At least give him a chance to grow comfortable out there.