5 Questions for the Chicago Bears in 2017; Will Fans Like the Answers?

CHICAGO, IL — Fans of few sports franchises should be as thrilled to see 2016 come and go as the Chicago Bears faithful. The team finished an abysmal 3-13, their worst record since 1969.

It's hard to say this year could be any worse for the Bears than 2016, but any optimism about 2017 depends on the answers to some of the questions facing Chicago going into next season. Patch lays out the five big questions on the minds of Bears fans at the beginning of this year.

1. Who Will the Bears Face in 2017? Only two teams finished with worse records than the Bears in 2016, and as luck would have it the team will play both of them at home in 2017. The Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers will be part of a 2017 home slate that includes divisional rivals Green Bay, Detroit and Minnesota, as well as the Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers.

On the road, the Bears will visit all three divisional opponents in addition to the New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens.

2. Who Will be Quarterback? When Jay Cutler was placed on injured reserve in December after only playing five games this season, it looked like the veteran had suited up as a Bear for the last time. Cutler has worn out his welcome in Chicago, and even with four years left on his seven-year contract, NFL observers already had him traded or released since the team no longer owed Cutler, who didn't attend the Bears' final media session Monday, any guaranteed money.

RELATED: Are the Bears Better or Worse Without Jay Cutler?

With no heir apparent currently on the roster — backup Brian Hoyer, who's a free agent, spent most of the season injured, and third-stringer Matt Barkley flamed out after a good start — and a sketchy quarterback draft class, the Bears might pursue Tony Romo or Kirk Cousins, quality starting quarterbacks who could be looking for new homes in the offseason. But they won't come cheap, which might make Cutler the most affordable — he would only make $15 million in '17, the 12th largest QB salary in the NFL — and best option for Chicago until it finds its quarterback of the future.

3. Will Jordan Howard Avoid a Sophomore Slump? The second year of a running back's career is usually a good indication of whether they will have a successful career. Bears fans are hoping Jordan Howard can reverse the historical trend of 1,000-yard rookie year Bear rushers falling off in year two.

In 2016, Howard became the fourth Bears rookie running back to run for 1,000 yards in the past two decades with a 1,313 tally. All three before him failed to reach the plateau in their sophomore campaign: Rashaan Salaam rushed 143 times for just 496 yards in 1996. Anthony Thomas only had 214 carries for 721 yards in 2002 and Matt Forte (while going on to have a successful career) only hit 929 yards in 2009.

The most successful running backs in team history had breakthrough second seasons, like Walter Payton (1,390 yards, the first of many 1,000 yard seasons) in 1976 and Gale Sayers (1,311 yards - a career-high) in 1966. Other memorable second seasons in Bear rushing history include Curtis Enis (916 yards in 1999 - more than half his career totals came during this season), Neal Anderson (129 rushes for 586 yards in 1987) and Cedric Benson (157 carries for 647 yards in 2006).

4. Does Coach John Fox Have a Future With the Bears? Reports circulated as early as October, claiming Fox would be let go at the end of the season after Chicago's 1-6 start. The Bears finished 3-13 — behind only the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers for worst in the NFL — and Fox's record in his first three seasons with Chicago is a dismal 9-23. Those aren't the numbers of a coach with a lot of job security.

Fox, however, survived Black Monday, the day after the regular season ends when teams routinely fire coaches. His future might hinge on whether Chicago will give him a final chance at trying to post a winning season with a new quarterback under center. Even if Fox does stay on, he might be forced to find new defensive and offensive coordinators for the 2017 season.

5. Besides QB, What Position(s) Do the Bears Desperately Need to Fill in '17? Given Chicago's Cutler conundrum, some early 2017 mock drafts have the Bears eyeing a quarterback — North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky, Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer and Clemson's Deshon Watson — with the No. 3 pick in the 2017 NFL draft. But if the team's front office doesn't go that route, Chicago will want to focus its attention on strengthening its defense.

The Bears need help in the secondary — the safety and cornerback positions responsible for covering receivers — and a safety like LSU's Jamal Adams or Ohio State's Malik Hooker could be a good step in that direction. Or Chicago might improve its pass rush by taking Alabama outside linebacker Tim Williams or Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett (who probably will be gone by the third pick). In fact, a few mock drafts have the Bears picking Alabama defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, a player who excels at pressuring the the quarterback and stopping the run.

Patch Editor Joe Vince contributed to this article.

photo via Patch archive

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