Bears On Tap graded the performance of the Bears offense through week 6. They handed out grades to every player who has played at least 10% of the Bears offensive snaps, culminating in final grades for each position group. We ended the episode with some hot takes about the Bears offense, so make sure to stick around till the end! The discussion is available on YouTube, Apple, and Spotify! If you take issue with any grades, make sure to let me, Ron, or Sunny know!
To determine our grades, we mixed a standard college GPA scale with criteria for what each grade should represent to an NFL team. I should note that the grade calculations from the Defensive Grades are slightly changed regarding the rounding criteria, in case you compare the two write-ups. For clarity, I have included an updated full team breakdown for both sides of the football at the end of this article. Ultimately, this exercise helps us find where the roster could use help and what positions might cover weaknesses elsewhere.
Quarterback
Positional GPA: 3.15
Positional Grade: B+
There was only one player included for the QB position, with that being Caleb Williams. All three of us were in agreement that Caleb deserves a B+, categorizing him as a "Key Starter". That is one notch below a "Blue Chip Starter", which could also be considered a top 10 quarterback in the NFL. That is high praise for the rookie passer, but it is earned, resulting in the highest-graded position on offense.
Caleb is on pace to break the Bears record for pass attempts in a season. Speaking of pace, he is projected to throw for 3,732 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions across 17 games. That season would place him 3rd all-time in passing yards and 5th all-time in passing touchdowns in the Bears record books.
Running Backs
Positional GPA: 2.77
Positional Grade: B
This grade was a little more polarizing for the group. D'Andre Swift had the most variance amongst the group, receiving three different grades. The difference is how much you want to weigh the first three games of the year versus the most recent three games.
Over the first three games, Swift recorded 114 yards across 43 touches, good for 2.65 yards per touch. But over the next three games, he recorded 404 yards on 67 touches, a clip of 6.03 yards per touch. On the season, he is pacing for 1,468 yards on 312 touches, generating 4.71 yards per touch.
Wide Receivers
Positional GPA: 2.97
Positional Grade: B
The second-highest grade on the offense goes to the receivers. That shouldn't be a surprise though. When the season started, we all knew this was one of the best position groups on the team. The biggest surprise in our grades came at the wide receiver position, though. The highest-graded receiver on the team was Rome Odunze, instead of DJ Moore.
While the production is clearly tilted towards Moore being the better player, Sunny and I agreed that we want to see Odunze become a true WR1 for this offense over the back half of the season. He has shown the chops on tape to separate at all three levels of the field and possesses the prototypical WR1 frame. I hope to see adjustments to Rome's usage coming out of the bye week.
Tight Ends
Positional GPA: 2.65
Positional Grade: B-
This grade would certainly be higher if we were only talking about Cole Kmet. The Bears top tight end received a unanimous grade of A-. But the depth behind him dragged the overall grade of the room down. Kmet put in the work this offseason to become more of a route-running threat. His hips are more fluid than ever and he has shown an ability to beat man coverage that I did not think he had in him. I think the sky is the limit for him this year as long as he gets enough targets.
Behind him, though, Gerald Everett and Marcedes Lewis have been a bit of a disappointment. Everett has not been a consistent contributor since being overused over the first few weeks, and Lewis looks like he has lost a step. Neither player is living up to the role envisioned for them entering the season. That can still change, but since we are grading through the first six games, that is all we can base our judgments on.
Offensive Tackles
Positional GPA: 2.95
Positional Grade: B+
Darnell Wright was another polarizing grade for me. Ron and Sunny gave him an A-, but I initially gave him a B. After reconsidering, I bumped him to a B+, upgrading his combined grade to an A-. I believe Wright can become a "Blue Chip Starter", but he is not there currently.
Until he can play a season healthy though, I have a hard time putting him into that tier. While he has played well this year, he had issues against Danielle Hunter and Travon Walker. While I am willing to pin those issues on playing through a back injury, that has to reflect in his grade somehow.
On the other side, Braxton Jones received a unanimous grade of B-. Jones is a top 50 offensive tackle in the NFL. I think that much is clear. A top-50 offensive tackle is a starter, even if not an ideal starter. Therefore, the B- grade of "Starter" was a clear fit.
Interior Offensive Line
Positional GPA: 1.95
Positional Grade: C+
This position group received the lowest grade on the team, offense or defense. The offensive line has been an issue for most of the season, and the interior is the clear black eye. There are 5 players who played enough snaps across these three positions to qualify for grades. Teven Jenkins received the highest grade, earning a unanimous B-. That is representative of being a "Starter". The hope is that he can elevate his play up to a "Key Starter" or better as the season continues. But with how he started the season, it was hard to justify a grade higher than a B-.
The group was lower on Matt Pryor than I expected. I gave Pryor a C+, or "Rotational Player" grade, while Ron and Sunny gave him a C, or "Quality Depth". I wanted to give Pryor a little extra juice here for his positional versatility and how well he has played stepping in off the bench. However, he does have some clear weaknesses that could become more apparent as the season continues.
