Watch: Colin Cowherd gives glowing assessment of Bears’ offseason

Watch: Colin Cowherd gives glowing assessment of Bears’ offseason originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

While most analysts spent the past few days crafting their post-draft opinion pieces using the American grading-system, some took a different approach to assess how each team fared.

Colin Cowherd, for example, stated Monday that it’s nearly impossible to predict how players in the later rounds will turn out. Instead, the FS1 pundit combined teams’ offseason free agent moves with their “top 2 or maybe three” picks. And on that metric, he believes the Chicago Bears came out on top.

“The Chicago Bears, more than any NFL team, will simply look different,” Cowherd said Monday on “The Herd.” “They upgraded personnel more than any NFL franchise—almost all of it on offense.

“Between Keenan Allen, D’Andre Swift, Gerald Everett, Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze, that’s a grown up group.”

Cowherd went on to say that this offensive haul, as opposed to bulking up on defense, was necessary in order to compete in the NFC North.

“There’s only one way to win in that division, and it’s not defense,” he said. “You’re going to have to outscore people. . . . last season, the Chicago Bears were 27th in passing. They’re not going to look anything like that this season. They were a terrible fourth-quarter team. They could not play from behind. You have to be able to play from behind, especially in a division with three offensive coaches and stacked offensive rosters. The Bears couldn’t last year. But now they have two legit receivers and now a rookie who could be a third, two legit tight ends, a good running back, two legitimate tackles, and yes, a much better quarterback. It’s not close.

“Caleb Williams is significantly more talented, more accurate than Justin Fields. [This is] the first time I can ever remember the Bears having a top 7-8-9-10 offensive personnel group. This is a real team, a real offense. And if you count free agency and your top couple of picks, no NFL team, and it’s the right side of the ball, will look more different than the Chicago Bears—one of the best receiver groups in the league, one of the most talented quarterbacks, better-than-average tight end, a running back that can catch, Poles is a former offensive lineman, I like both their tackles. This is the way, this side of the ball. And no team upgraded more than the Chicago Bears if you count free agency and their top couple of picks. That, I can guarantee.”

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