While the NFL elite such as the Patriots and Vikings prepare for Championship Sunday this weekend, the Bears, as usual for the past seven years, begin grinding work on player evaluations, free agency work, and draft scouting in intense earnest. The difference this time around is the proposed innovator and energetic new head coach Matt Nagy joining Chicago's equation.

As the Bears prepare for an off-season that will likely ultimately define the Nagy tenure - for better or worse - there's a lot of effort to be made by a fresh-faced coaching staff and regime seeking the proof in the pudding results-wise.

To iron out the short and long-term ramifications of the Bears' hire of Nagy for all parties, The Bears' Professor, Johnathan Wood of Da Bears Blog, hopped on the latest WCG Radio for an enlightening back-and-forth to break everything down.

(Link to direct podcast here in addition to full player below.)

On this episode of WCG Radio

Brilliant analytical and Twitter coaching mustache avatar man Johnathan Wood of Da Bears Blog joins the podcast to assist in breaking down the Bears' Nagy hire and more:

• Ramifications of the Nagy addition for the Bears
• The Ryan Pace perspective on this move
• How far away are the Bears realistically from contending?
• Bringing in the coordinators, particularly the return of (Buddy Ryan) Vic Fangio and the steps his defense needs to take
• Where do the Bears stand in the NFC North and NFC as a whole with Mitchell Trubisky and company for the time being?
• Top needs to be addressed this off-season with the coaching staff now in place. (Spoiler alert: Edge, edge, edge)
• Underrated names to keep an eye on for the Bears in free agency (Hard pass on Jarvis Landry)
• Opening a big mailbag on topics such as SuperFans, 2018 offensive expectations, and optimism
• Ultimately, where do the Bears sit as an organization five years from now?

Robert Zeglinski is the Bears beat writer for The Rock River Times, an editor for Windy City Gridiron, and is a contributor to The Athletic Chicago. You can follow him on Twitter @RobertZeglinski.