"Lunch with Larry," my world-renowned Q-and-A with Bears fans every Tuesday during the regular season, is switching to a mailbag format to give all fans a chance to participate. So here are your questions and my answers, with the best query of the week at the bottom of the column winning a Connie's Pizza gift card.
Do you think Cole Kmet is a top-10 tight end?
Dylan D.
There's no question in my mind that fifth-year pro Cole Kmet is among the NFL's 10 best tight ends. In fact, I'm pretty sure you could make a case that the Notre Dame product is top five in the league, a rung below the Chiefs' Travis Kelce and the 49ers' George Kittle, who have been widely considered the most elite players at the position for the last several years. Among NFL tight ends last season, Kmet tied for second with six touchdowns, tied for seventh with 73 receptions and ranked ninth with 719 yards. The 73 catches and 719 yards were career highs. In addition, Kmet has developed into an excellent blocker and remains a highly respected team leader—as witnessed by his selection as a season-long captain.
Which position group do you think will make the biggest jump this season?
Fred S.
If I had to pick one, I'd say the receivers. DJ Moore had one of the most prolific seasons by a receiver in Bears history last year, establishing career highs in all categories with 96 receptions, 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns. But no other receiver had even one-third as many catches—Darnell Mooney ranked second with 31. During the offseason, general manager Ryan Poles turned the position into what appears to be a major strength by trading for six-time Pro Bowler Keenan Allen from the Chargers and selecting Washington's Rome Odunze with the ninth pick in the first round of the draft. Allen led the NFL with a Chargers-record 108 receptions for 1,243 yards and seven TDs in 2023 despite missing the final four games with a heel injury. With his addition, the Bears are the only NFL team with two receivers who both compiled at least 1,200 yards last season. And then you have Odunze, already a polished route runner who was named AP First-Team All-American after compiling a career-high 92 receptions, 1,640 yards and 13 TDs last year at Washington. On paper, it's the most talented receiving trio in Bears history.
Which player do you think is most likely to surprise us this year by performing beyond expectations?
Josh L.
That's a difficult question to answer because expectations are high for a lot of players, especially those who play skill positions on offense and the secondary on defense. For instance, if cornerback Jaylon Johnson leads the Bears with five interceptions, it's not going to be a surprise. So I'll pick an under-the-radar player who isn't garnering much attention in defensive end Darrell Taylor. Acquired by the Bears Aug. 23 in a trade with the Seahawks, Taylor is an experienced pass rusher who recorded 91 tackles, 21.5 sacks, 22 tackles-for-loss and five forced fumbles the past three seasons for Seattle. As part of the defensive line rotation, he figures to get plenty of 1-on-1 opportunities while rushing opposite Montez Sweat and possesses the talent and potential to make some impact plays this season.
Will Ryan Poles sign another edge rusher before Week 4?
Kevin G.
Ryan Poles always remains focused on upgrading the roster, so I wouldn't be surprised if he signed a pass rusher off another team's practice squad at some point if he feels that the move would benefit the Bears. But I feel that it's unrealistic to expect a player from another club's practice squad to do anything more than provide depth. Entering the season, I'm sure the Bears' focus will be on developing young defensive ends Austin Booker and Daniel Hardy.
How do you see the play percentages playing out in the backfield between D'Andre Swift, Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson?
Terry C.
I feel that D'Andre Swift will tote most of the workload to start the season. He's proven to be a three-down dual-threat running back, rushing for 2,729 yards and 23 touchdowns on 593 carries and catching 195 passes for 1,412 yards and eight TDs in four seasons with the Lions (2020-22) and Eagles (2023). It seems like he was a bit of an under-the-radar free agent signing who could emerge as an impact player on an offense that has a multitude of weapons. With that being said, I also expect Khalil Herbert to get a decent number of carries as a change-of-pace back. Herbert is a patient runner with a knack to produce big plays with cutback runs.
Who do you think will be the main edge rusher opposite of Montez Sweat?
Tommy H.
I expect veterans DeMarcus Walker and Darrell Taylor to get the most reps opposite Montez Sweat Sunday against the Titans. But Dominique Robinson, Austin Booker and Daniel Hardy likely will have opportunities to be part of the pass rush rotation and have a chance to earn more playing time in future weeks.
And finally, the question of the week and winner of a Connie's Pizza gift card:
Besides Caleb Williams, what are you most excited to see on Sunday, and why?
Joe B.
Other than Caleb Williams, I'm most excited to see whether the Bears defense can pick up where it left off last season, when the unit ranked No. 1 in the NFL against the run and tied for the league lead with 22 interceptions. The defense showed marked improvement last year after the midseason acquisition of Montez Sweat and boasts a talented mix of established veterans and promising young players. Their chemistry and swagger were evident throughout training camp and the preseason, and I'm eager to see if the defense will continue to generate takeaways and game-changing plays in Sunday's opener against the Titans.
