Is Matthew Stafford the best QB in the NFC North this year?

Chicago Bears skilled personnel

Allen Robinson is a more than capable wide receiver as the number one option. While he isn’t a top-10 kind of player, he does everything well. Robinson is not the problem with the offense, either, he had 98 catches for 1,147 yards receiving and 7 scores in 2019 according to the NFL’s website.

After Robinson, though, Anthony Miller, Ted Ginn, Cordarrell Patterson, Riley Ridley, and Javon Wims are the best options. MIller is coming along and has upside as does Ridley coming into his second year. Nagy has to hope that those two, or possibly Ginn, can take some attention off of Robinson and be that second option for their quarterback.

Among the tight ends, which they have gathered quite a few, rookie Cole Kmet seems like he can eventually develop into the blocker-receiver that they want in the offense. In the meantime, Jimmy Graham, who’s definitely past his prime at 33-years-old, is the established option but who doesn’t have the speed and playmaking ability that he used to bring to the table. Adam Shaheen, a former second-round pick, Demetrius Harris, and Ben Braunecker round out the position group.

The running backs are also a work-in-progress although Tarik Cohen provides some chunk plays as the speed, receiving, scatback at 5-6, and 180-pounds. If the offense is going to find more balance much of the carries will go to second-year runner David Montgomery who ran for 889 yards in 2019. The Bears have players beyond Cohen and Montgomery but they are undrafted players, Ryan Nall is a thumper and there are two more undrafted rookies behind him.

It is difficult to imagine either quarterback in Chicago leading the division in almost any category, not just due to the other starters inside the NFC North, but due to the state of fluctuation offensively and lack of multiple dynamic options across the field. Neither Foles nor Trubisky have put up big numbers consistently, either.

Unless a few players all reach their potential quickly and the team galvanizes behind one quarterback early, it seems likely that they will be in a similar situation going into 2021, potentially looking for another starter and more weapons to help him have success.