Bears 2023 Schedule: What’s your way too early record prediction?

We’re talking Chicago Bears’ 2023 schedule in our latest Windy City Gridiron roundtable, and today we asked our team to give us their way too early record *prediction. How much improvement can we expect from last year’s three-win campaign? Could the Bears realistically compete for a wildcard spot in the NFC?

After a productive free agency period and a ten-man draft class, optimism is much higher than it was one year ago when GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus began the rebuild.

Here are our way too early predictions.

*We reserve the right to change our minds as the season nears and more information becomes available!

Jeff Berckes - I got them at 9-8. The Bears are a team on the rise, playing two divisional teams on the way down, scheduled against a weak NFC South division; they should absolutely think about contending for a Wildcard spot.

Sam Householder - My gut says 7-10, but I do see 8 to 9 wins possible.

Robert Schmitz - Call me a Debbie-downer, but I’m predicting a 7-10 finish. The Bears are a team on the rise, but they’re also still a team coming off a 3-14 season — a 7-win finish would be a nice step forward for a very young roster that doesn’t yet have the depth and experience needed to battle mid-season injuries, runs of poor play, and other common adversities. Still, 7 wins would be great!

Josh Sunderbruch - I see them as 7-10 or 8-9, with things clicking more as the season goes on, making their early losses more painful in retrospect. Just to really capture what I see as a frustrating season of lost opportunity but promising futures, I’ll say 7-9-1.

Peter Borkowski - Going 7-10 would be a nice season. I think they split with the Packers (1-1) and Lions (2-2), but for some reason I feel they drop both to the Vikings (2-4). K.C. is the only loss I feel 99.99% sure on (2-5), but I feel pretty confident saying they also lose to the Chargers and Saints (2-7). At Washington is tough but, let’s say that Commanders’ defense is just too much to overcome (2-8), and Denver/Tampa Bay will be close, but advantage to the more proven rosters/coaches (2-10). Atlanta and Arizona should be wins (4-10), and Carolina should be too, but could prove surprisingly feisty (5-10). Vegas and Cleveland are honestly toss-ups, but I have come to expect those two to underperform (7-10).

Aaron Leming - Maybe I’m drinking the tainted punch bowl, but I think the Bears have a real chance to go 8-9 this year (or maybe slightly better). They’re in arguably the second-worst division in the NFC and have the benefit of a last-place schedule. It’s easy to see them hanging around .500 for most of the year, especially if they can get better in one-score games. While I’ll admit there are a few games that I don’t see them winning, there are many “winnable” games on the schedule and that should excite Bears fans.

Erik Christopher Duerrwaechter - 10-7. They’ve got the makings for a fairly potent offense, and as we saw last year, Justin Fields can make this team competitive in shootouts at any moment. It really comes down to if their defense can find their footing this season, particularly their pass rush. Watch for them to look at adding defensive ends all the way until the trade deadline.

Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. - When going over the schedule I can make a decent argument for 12 wins, but that would be a heck of a jump from last year’s three-win campaign, so give me 10-7. It’s year two for coach ‘Flus, year two for Fields in the scheme, and with a revamped offense, I see beautiful things on the horizon for the QB1. This is a best-case-scenario prediction that is predicated on Fields and the Bears staying relatively healthy.

Give us your way too early record prediction for the Bears.