Our offseason opponent breakdown series on theRams.com continues with us getting caught up on Los Angeles' Week 4 road opponent, the Chicago Bears (Sept. 29, 10 a.m. PT on FOX).
The Rams' 2024 schedule release is presented by Confirmed360.
2023
An 0-4 hole to start the season made the rest of it somewhat of a difficult climb for the Bears. Though they somewhat weathered quarterback Justin Fields' thumb injury that sidelined him from Weeks 7-10, they sat at 4-8 overall by the time they reached their Week 13 bye.
Chicago by that point had scored 20 or fewer points in 8 of its first 12 games, and while that trend somewhat corrected course with surpassing that threshold in the three wins they achieved over their final five contests, it left them 7-10 and on the outside looking in to the NFC playoff picture.
The Bears' 7-10 record led to capturing the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but thanks to the Panthers trading them their 2024 first-round pick as part of the move up to No. 1 overall in 2023, they had the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft as well since Carolina finished with the worst record in the league.
Key Changes
Fields was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a conditional 2025 sixth-round draft pick and potential fourth-round pick, and the Bears used the No. 1 overall pick to select USC quarterback Caleb Williams as their new starter. They also selected Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze with the ninth overall pick (their original first-rounder).
Prior to the draft, they acquired wide receiver Keenan Allen in a trade with the Chargers and signed for Lions and Eagles running back D'Andre Swift to a 3-year deal. They also signed former Rams center Coleman Shelton to a 1-year deal.
Chicago made seven new hires, all on the offensive coaching staff: Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, running backs coach Chad Morton, receivers coach Chris Beatty, offensive passing game coordinator Thomas Brown, assistant offensive line coach Jason Houghtaling, assistant quarterbacks and receivers coach Robbie Picazo and assistant running backs coach Jennifer King.
Head coach
Matt Eberflus enters his third season as head coach of the Bears, compiling a 10-24 regular season record through his first two years.
What to watch for
New-look Bears offense
Between the new personnel and the overhaul of the offensive staff, Chicago is taking a different vision for its offense into the 2024 season. Though it may be one from a system Rams fans are familiar with.
Waldron was previously the Seahawks' offensive coordinator over the last three seasons, after spending the 2017-2020 seasons on the Rams' offensive staff. The additions of Allen and Odunze suggest the Bears will likely be an 11-personnel team (one running back, one tight end, three wide receivers).
