Predicting the Bears’ 2022 record

The Sun-Times’ experts predict the Bears’ 2022 record:

Rick Morrissey: 5-12

If you’ve paid any attention to social media and Bears’ fans hopes for the season, you know that lots of people are picking seven, eight or nine victories. This is based on something, though I’m not sure what. They’ve embraced the idea of a rebuild but still think there’s going to be success in 2022? It doesn’t work that way.

Rick Telander: 6-11

I still find it amusing that coach Lovie Smith got fired in 2012 after going 10-6. That was when the Bears claimed it was all about the playoffs. Playoffs? What playoffs? Big chuckle.

Patrick Finley: 6-11

Seven teams had six or fewer wins last season: the Jets, Texans, Jaguars, Giants, Lions, Panthers — and Bears. Of that group, only the Texans are spending less than the Bears on active players this year.

Laurence Holmes: 6-11

Head coach Matt Eberflus deserves credit for raising the competency floor of this franchise. He seems to be an organized, sensible football coach. Whether that will be enough to overcome a clear talent deficiency this season remains to be seen. Strangely enough, the consensus over/under win total for the Bears 5.5. Therefore I’m staking ground as an optimist.

Jason Lieser: 5-12

That’s how it looks on paper. A few things must happen for them to exceed expectations: Justin Fields catapults into the top 10 at his position, their pass defense turns it around from last season and several opponents turn out to be worse than everyone thought. Otherwise, this is the start of a rebuild, and that’s usually rough.

Mark Potash: 6-11

A defense that should be in the middle of the pack or better in Eberflus’ first season will keep the Bears in a lot of games with this schedule. With presumed offensive growth under Luke Getsy, the Bears are more likely to win eight or nine games than three or four.