Shutdown Countdown: Can John Fox fix all the Bears’ woes?

Shutdown Corner is previewing all 32 teams as we get ready for the NFL season, counting down the teams one per day in reverse order of our initial 2015 power rankings. No. 1 will be revealed on Aug. 8, the day before the preseason begins with the Hall of Fame Game in Canton.

NO. 26: CHICAGO BEARS

By the end of last season, the Chicago Bears were arguably the worst team in the NFL. Would you have picked them to beat anyone on a neutral field at the end of December?

The Bears lost their final five games, scoring 17 or fewer points in all but one. They were out-gained in every game. The were somewhat competitive in losses to the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings to end the season, but they looked like a team that knew coach Marc Trestman was on his way out and didn’t feel much like playing hard for him anymore.

It was awful on just about every level. The quarterback play was bad enough that Jay Cutler was benched for Jimmy Clausen. The offense that looked so good for Trestman in 2013 became a non-stop barrage of dump-off passes to running back Matt Forte. The defense did not do a single thing at a high level; they didn’t rank in the top 15 in the NFL in any important category. Injuries didn’t help, but it was really bad.

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Not surprisingly, the Bears cleaned house. They gave up on the Trestman experiment after two years. General manager Phil Emery was fired. Former Denver Broncos coach John Fox was hired, and Ryan Pace was hired away from the New Orleans Saints to be the general manager.

The identity will be different. Say what you will about Fox and how conservative he can be, but his teams are generally tough. The Bears could use that. Receiver Brandon Marshall was traded away, which hurts on the field, but remember that three different teams have traded Marshall, for less of a return each time. Outside linebacker Pernell McPhee was signed from the Ravens to help the pass rush, safety Antrel Rolle is an instant upgrade for a safety unit that has struggled for a few years, and inside linebacker Mason Foster came at a nice, cheap one-year deal. Receiver Kevin White was an exciting first-round pick, at seventh overall.

There were so many holes to fill that this doesn’t seem like a situation that can be fixed in one year. But they won’t be as bad as they were down the stretch last year, which is an improvement.

2014 review in less than 25 words: The Bears were awash in losses and drama late last season, as 5-6 became 5-11 in a hurry.

Is the roster better, worse or about the same?: It’s probably about the same. The Bears lost Marshall, defensive tackle Stephen Paea and some long-time veterans. The team did add a couple of good pieces in free agency, however. 

Best offseason acquisition: McPhee was the headliner, with a five-year deal worth almost $40 million, but I think Rolle could have nearly as big of an impact and at a position that sorely needed a new look. The Bears just couldn’t keep pretending that Chris Conte was going to become what they wanted him to be. In Rolle the Bears get a versatile, solid player who even at 32 years old will calm down the back end of the Bears’ defense. 

Achilles heel: The Bears are changing to a 3-4 defense under Fox, which is big news in Chicago. The team has never run a 3-4. The problem is up front. The defensive line is so full of questions the team took a chance on former 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald and risked the public-relations hit, and that turned out as bad as could be expected. That leaves the Bears with very little on the line, unless 2015 rookie Eddie Goldman and second-year player Ego Ferguson develop quickly. 

Position in flux: Quarterback isn’t in flux, though maybe it should be. The Bears didn’t trade Cutler this offseason and start over, because that’s how NFL teams operate. Nobody wants to wade into the unknown at quarterback, even if the option on the roster has proven to be mediocre. Cutler isn’t bad, really, he’s just not great and he’s not worth the $16.5 million cap hit that he will cost this year. Cutler has played nine NFL seasons. He’s 32 years old. He is what he is at this point. Even the people who annually predicted that THIS will be Cutler’s breakout season have stopped. The Bears would probably be happy if Cutler made some great deep passes with his unbelievable arm, but cut down on the mistakes that seem to come at just the wrong time.

Ready to break out: Cornerback Kyle Fuller didn’t grade well with Pro Football Focus last season. The 2014 first-round pick finished 107th in PFF’s grades out of 108 corners who qualified. Still, he has talent and made some plays. Fuller picked off four passes last year and broke up 10 others. Fuller should be able to build on the positive and have a nice second season.

Stat fact: Worth repeating: Cutler has never finished a season with a quarterback rating over 90. Oft-criticized Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has never finished a season with a quarterback rating under 90. So yes, Romo’s worst season is better than Cutler’s best season, in terms of rating.

Schedule degree of difficulty: If you believe that the Vikings will build on last year’s finish and the Lions won’t regress, the Bears play in a really tough division. They also play the AFC West, which will be tough. Before the bye they play Green Bay, Arizona, at Seattle, Oakland, at Kansas City and at Detroit, which is five winning teams from 2014, including three on the road. Not easy. 

Burning question

This team’s best-case scenario for the 2015 season: It has to revolve around Cutler having a career year, as unlikely as that seems. Maybe a better locker room helps. The Bears seemed beaten down by the end of last season. Fox is a defensive coach, so perhaps he and new coordinator Vic Fangio work wonders. If everything breaks right can the Bears have a winning season? It’s not that crazy; they were 8-8 just two years ago. 

And here’s the nightmare scenario: The two worst defenses in Bears history, in terms of points allowed, were the 2013 and 2014 squads. What if McPhee is one of those players who looks great in a part-time role but can’t translate that to a full-time role, and Rolle finally plays like his age? It could get ugly. And Forte did slip under 4 yards per carry last year for the first time since 2009, and he’ll turn 30 this season. If the defense is bad and the running game isn’t effective then Cutler will have to do everything himself, and nothing good will come of that. 

The crystal ball says: The Bears’ new staff and front office inherited a multi-year project. The defense needs more than a couple nice free-agent signings to bounce back. The offense has some interesting pieces but that’s not enough either. Expect the Bears to struggle again, finish last in the NFC North, but continue to build under Fox’s identity in years to come. 

Previous previews
32. Tennessee Titans
31. Jacksonville Jaguars
30. Washington Redskins
29. Oakland Raiders
28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
27. New York Jets

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab