Chicago Bears: 5 Predictions For The 2015 NFL Season

Oct 5, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers tight end Ed Dickson (84) catches the ball as Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller (23) defends in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Just getting better from the agonizing way they finished 2014 would be enough for Chicago Bears fans at this points. Here are some predictions to watch for this 2015 NFL season.

Kevin White sets every rookie receiving record

History is not replete with a lot of examples involving the Bears and taking wide receivers in the 1st round. So it’s easy to say that from a talent stanpoint, Kevin White is likely the best they’ve ever picked. Big, fast and quick it’s not hard envisioning him making an instant impact with a number of quality veterans around him drawing coverage away. In fact, White will exceed expectations by setting every record there is in the book for a rookie wide receiver in Chicago.

Matt Forte posts his career best season rushing

He may not have the Beast Quakes or the long runs of Adrian Peterson, but Matt Forte has proven himself the most versatile running back the league has seen for the past seven or eight years. Not flashy, sure. Just excellent. Now Matt Forte is faced with his job being in jeopardy for the first time. He’s 29-years old and on the last year of his contract. How will he respond? Like he typically has to challenges. Behind an offensive approach geared to run it, he will overcome the doubts by posting the best single-season rushing total of his career, topping the 1,339 he put up in 2013.

Jay Cutler finishes under 15 interceptions

Keep in mind this is not saying that Jay Cutler will light the world on fire. At this point those predictions have gotten old. The veteran quarterback is who he is. He’ll make his share of plays. Priority one of the new Bears coaching staff is to minimize his mistakes. Offensive coordinator Adam Gase comes from the Mike Martz tree. His ability to craft good plays combined with a commitment to the run and taking away Jay’s notions of freelancing with audibles is the best possible approach and will help him to finish with fewer than 15 interceptions.

It’s worth noting he’s done that just once in his Bears career when playing at least 15 games. The team went 10-6 that season.

Kyle Fuller makes his first Pro Bowl

New coaches John Fox and Vic Fangio haven’t held back their excitement and getting to work with second-year cornerback Kyle Fuller. They feel he can be one of the cornerstones of the defensive scheme they have in mind. Early signs last year indicated there is reason to believe them. Fuller is athletic, tough and down-to-earth in his preparation. With more experience and good coaching he should take a major leap this season. A leap right into the Pro Bowl.

Four rookies drafted by Ryan Pace start by mid-season

GM Ryan Pace was hired by the Chicago Bears to do one thing: fix their horrendous drafting issues. That is what has plagued the franchise the past few years and left them in such a state, depleted of young talent. Pace only had six picks this past April, but experts believe he made the most of them, selecting a number of quality young players. While it may not happen early one, fans will be pleasantly surprised how quickly some of them find their way into the starting lineup. As many as four could do so by midseason.

Kevin White, Eddie Goldman and Hroniss Grasu are the obvious ones. The real wild card is 5th round safety Adrian Amos. He’s a great fit at free safety, an area the Bears are weak but questions abound regarding his tackling. Something to watch carefully.

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