The Chicago Bears have been up and down during the 2010s. They started off with a bang, making it all the way to the NFC Championship, where they lost to the Green Bay Packers. What followed was multiple disappointing years without any playoff appearances. They were able to turn it around at the end of the decade, winning the NFC North and making it back to the playoffs. Unfortunately, they suffered a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite a tough decade, the Bears still had a lot of talented pieces on the field. In this mini-series, I’ll be dissecting the Bears best players on offense and defense. First, we will be taking a look at the offense. With that out of the way, let’s dive right into it.
Chicago Bears All-Decade Team: Offense
Quarterback: Jay Cutler
This was a pretty easy choice, as Jay Cutler was by far the best quarterback the Bears had during the decade. While more was expected out of Cutler during his tenure, he was still able to produce solid numbers. Cutler finished with a total of 19,777 passing yards, 127 touchdowns, and 83 interceptions while completing approximately 60 percent of his passes. Even though the numbers were good, he didn’t deliver the most important thing: wins. Cutler was only able to lead the Bears to the playoffs once. He ended up hurting his knee in the NFC Championship game and missing all of the second half. Still, Cutler was the clear, no-brainer choice at quarterback. Sorry, Matt Barkley.
Running Back: Matt Forte
Another easy selection. Matt Forte was a bell cow for the Bears. Not only was he an incredibly effective runner, but he also was huge in the passing attack. Forte was the engine that kept the Bears offense going. He was a two-time Pro Bowler during the decade, finishing with a total of 6,435 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns. In addition, he caught 381 passes for 3,168 yards and 15 touchdowns. Forte was brutally underrated during the decade and never truly got the credit he deserved. Bears fans know how important Forte was to the offense during the 2010s.
Wide Receiver One: Brandon Marshall
Brandon Marshall only spent three seasons with the Bears. Those three seasons were during Marshall’s prime and he showed out in a big way. He made the Pro Bowl twice, as well as first-team All-Pro in 2012. In his short stint, Marshall recorded 279 receptions for 3,524 yards and 31 touchdowns. When the Bears were in the red zone, it was pretty close to a sure thing that Cutler was going to throw Marshall and he was going to come up with the football a majority of the time. Marshall was incredibly fun to watch during this time period. Sadly, after just his third year with Chicago, he was traded away to the New York Jets.
Wide Receiver Two: Alshon Jeffery
Another big-bodied receiver makes the cut as the WR2. Alshon Jeffery‘s time with the Bears could be described as a what-if. He spent a good amount of his time on the injury list, only starting in 56 out of a possible 80 games. However, Jeffery was still able to put together a good five-year span. He hauled in 304 passes for 4,549 and 26 touchdowns. Jeffery made his first and only pro bowl as a member of the Bears in 2013. When his contract was up, the Bears decided not to re-sign him. Jeffery chose to go to the Eagles. He was instrumental during their Super Bowl run, cementing himself as the number one wide receiver. It’s safe to say that the Bears would like to have this one back.
Flex: Jordan Howard
Jordan Howard gets the nod as the flex. Howard’s NFL career got off to a furious start. He ended the season second in rushing yards, just behind Ezekiel Elliott. Howard finished with 1,313 yards that season and that effort got him a spot in the Pro Bowl. His sophomore season saw Howard slightly decline, yet he was still able to run for over 1,000 yards. 2018 was Howard’s worst. The Bears brought in Matt Nagy to be the new head coach and play-caller. While Howard was effectively running the ball, he wasn’t as good as a pass-catcher. He saw his snap counts and touches diminish, as the Bears started to give Tarik Cohen more shine. The Bears decided to part ways with Howard this off-season, sending him to the Eagles. Despite a short career with the Bears, Howard still is able to snag a spot as the flex.
Tight End: Martellus Bennett
The Bears were able to get very good production from Martellus Bennett during his three-year stint with Chicago. He made his only career Pro Bowl in 2014, catching 90 balls for 916 yards and six touchdowns. Tight end production was pretty challenging to come by during the decade. Bennett’s lone Pro Bowl season gives him enough to edge out the other tight ends of the decade.
Offensive Tackle One: Charles Leno
Charles Leno began his career with the Bears in 2014. Funny thing is that he wasn’t originally a tackle. He started out his career as a tight end. Leno was quickly moved to tackle, where he’s been a starter ever since. He’s been a rock at the tackle spot, playing in every single game since 2015 and starting in all but three of them. Leno was awarded this season with a Pro Bowl alternate selection.
Offensive Tackle Two: Bobby Massie
A pretty underwhelming pick, but Bobby Massie has been a solid tackle since the Bears snagged him in 2016. He’s played and started in 46 out of a possible 48 in his three years. Massie is once again slated to be a starter again in 2019, alongside Leno.
Offensive Guard One: Kyle Long
Kyle Long by far has been the Bears best offensive lineman of the decade. He’s been injury-prone for a majority of the past three years, but his first three years were great. Long played guard in his first two seasons and easily made the Pro Bowl in both years. In his third season, the Bears decided to move Long over to tackle. Long excelled again, making yet another Pro Bowl. Long still remains a key piece of the offensive line, as he will begin the season as one of the Bears two starting guards.
Offensive Guard Two: Josh Sitton
Josh Sitton only played one year in a Bears uniform. That just goes to show you how mediocre the Bears offensive line was this decade. Sitton did make the Pro Bowl in his only year, after signing a one-year contract. The Bears didn’t bring him back and Sitton signed with the Miami Dolphins.
Center: Cody Whitehair
The Bears selected Cody Whitehair in the second round of the 2016 draft. Whitehair has been a day one starter on the line, mostly at center. Along with Charles Leno, he was selected as a Pro Bowl alternate. The future looks bright for the Kansas State product, as he is likely to be a key piece on the Bears line for many years to come.
Last Word on the Offense
The Bears offense was hit and miss for most of the decade. Early on, they were on fire, with guys like Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, and Brandon Marshall leading the unit. It was rough during the middle, as the Bears moved on from these three stars, and went to guys like Barkley and Kendall Wright. The future looks bright heading into the next decade though, as the Bears have a unique, high powered offense led by Mitchell Trubisky, Tarik Cohen and Allen Robinson. Things are definitely looking up for the Bears.
