Sunday’s win was the fourth in five tries for the Bears and that would be enough to feel optimistic about the future of the franchise, but Week 17 brought even more reason to think that better days are ahead in Chicago.
The Panthers are guaranteed to have the worst record in the league after losing to the Jaguars and that means the Bears will control the first overall pick in the 2024 draft. The Bears acquired Carolina’s selection along with wide receiver DJ Moore — who had nine catches for 159 yards and a touchdown Sunday — and other considerations in exchange for the top pick in last year’s draft.
Having that pick opens up many doors to the Bears this offseason, but head coach Matt Eberflus said at his postgame press conference that the team is going to stay focused on their remaining game before they start thinking about the draft.
“I really don’t give attention to it right now,” Eberflus said. “I don’t think we’re picking tomorrow, you know what I mean?”
The final weekend of 2023 also brought a report that Eberflus will be back in 2024, which is easy to believe given the way the team has played over the second half of the season. Eberflus declined to say if he’s been given any assurances and that they’ll “have all those conversations at the end” of the season.
“I know there’s always going to be noise out there, good or bad, and if you listen to either one of them, guess what, you ain’t doing your job,” Eberflus said. “And for me, doing my job is focusing on the men in that locker room and the coaches and the development of the Chicago Bears, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
The development of the Bears has gone in the right direction this year and next season will likely open with a lot of chatter about a return to the playoffs in the Windy City.
