It isn’t playoff football without Bears fans comparing the team to those still in contention. However, this year, the comparisons are a bit different. This past weekend, the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens faced off in the divisional round of the AFC Playoffs. The Baltimore Ravens ultimately pulled away in the second half, winning that game 34-10 en route to host the AFC Championship. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is presumably the Most Valuable Player of 23-24′ and the team around him is built for success. He’s having a career season and is very much capable of hoisting a Lombardi trophy in February.
Conversely, rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud of the Texans had a phenomenal rookie season. Breaking records on his way to winning the AFC South and toppling the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card round, Stroud defied expectations normal for that of a rookie quarterback. The Texans are well on their way to building a contending team.
The two teams share the same goal, albeit they are at different stages of that pursuit. The Texans and Ravens’ approach to roster building is what the Bears’ front office should take into consideration. As they continue gathering information ahead of free agency and the NFL Draft, there are several factors to take into account.
Rookie Quarterback versus Current Quarterback
Current Quarterback
To clarify, there are absolutely no certainties in when to draft prospects and potential development in current players. Also, Justin Fields is not Lamar Jackson. That being said, the Bears can see each path that Houston and Baltimore elected to take when it came to the quarterback position.
The Ravens drafted Lamar Jackson in 2018 while Joe Flacco was nearing the end of his tenure in Baltimore and it paid dividends. Jackson didn’t play his rookie year until Week 7, as Flacco had a hip injury at the time. As a rookie, Jackson was allowed to play his style of football and create mistakes while developing into their franchise quarterback. The following year, Jackson unanimously won his first MVP award. Jackson was a former Heisman winner and an excellent player in his own right. He’s also on his third offensive coordinator, which is the number Bears quarterback Justin Fields will land on next season, regardless of if he’s retained in Chicago.
Lamar Jackson is soaking in the moment as the MVP front-runner prepares for his first career conference title game. pic.twitter.com/LrFXH6Qucx
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) January 21, 2024
There is a considerable gap in accomplishment between the two quarterbacks, but the Ravens allowed Jackson to develop and learn each system with each coordinator while simultaneously building the roster and the offense around his skillset. Fields has shown flashes of his ability and the Bears may consider following a similar blueprint to what the Ravens have done in Baltimore.
Rookie Quarterback
If the Bears opt to start fresh with a rookie quarterback, the Texans have shown one of the historically best outcomes of that decision. While expectations for rookies shouldn’t be losing in the divisional round to the top seed in their conference, it does show the benefits of developing a quarterback with a strong offensive line and linking the head coach and offensive coordinator timeline. Chicago opted to retain head coach Matt Eberflus, so the timeline can’t entirely match up. Regardless, pairing a rookie quarterback with a new offensive system and play-caller aids development and breeds success. The Bears would be wise to have the right infrastructure for an incoming prospect.
Houston Texans CJ Stroud had an INCREDIBLE rookie season:
• 354/553 (64%)
• 4,557 passing yards
• 26 passing TD’s • 5 INT’s
• Wins first ever playoff game
• Win division title as a rookie
• Takes the Texans to a Divisional Playoff game pic.twitter.com/nRjJF5hhkr— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) January 21, 2024
Young Defensive Talent With A Veteran Presence
If there’s one thing Chicago is great at doing, it’s building a defense. The Bears have built great defenses time and time again in the National Football League. It is worth mentioning the young talent Houston and Baltimore possess. For Baltimore, young players Kyle Hamilton, Justin Madubuike, and Geno Stone were all drafted and have developed alongside a strong veteran presence in the Ravens locker room. The defense has ranked number one in several categories this season.
Houston drafted young talent in Derek Stingley Jr., Jalen Pitre, and Will Anderson in back-to-back drafts. Linebacker Christian Harris is also deserving of mention. Texans general manager Nick Caserio has a plan for success in place for this team and has stuck to it.
The Bears have a great start when it comes to the defense with players like Kyler Gordon, Jaquan Brisker, and Tyrique Stevenson. All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson will continue to aid that young secondary. Defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. will only get better as the defensive line improves around him and defensive end Montez Sweat will continue to amplify this entire unit.
Following The Blueprints
To say Chicago has an important offseason ahead is an understatement. The league is in a transition period and young talent is on the rise.
The Baltimore Ravens chose to build around their talented young quarterback and MVP and will host an AFC Championship.
The Houston Texans have a bright future with the presumed offensive rookie of the year and will continue to build a young powerhouse.
These two teams have provided Chicago with blueprints to success.
Main Photo: [Jamie Sabau] – USA Today Sports
