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Bears 2024 Season Awards: Stars, Surprises, and Disappointments

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Just like that, the Chicago Bears wrap up the 2024 season with a 5-12 record, securing the 10th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite all the chaos, heartbreak, and suffering, there were still some bright spots. For one, beating the Green Bay Packers in Lambeau Field felt amazing. But before fans dive into free agency debates and crank out 30 mock drafts a day, let’s take a look at the Bears 2024 season awards, featuring some stars, surprises, and inevitable disappointments.

Bears 2024 Season Awards

Most Valuable Player: Caleb Williams

The Bears finally have a franchise quarterback. Caleb Williams had his highs and lows during his rookie year, but it’s hard to ignore the type of success he had with all the turnover in the coaching department and poor offensive line play.

He shattered basically every Bears rookie quarterback record and became the first quarterback since Jay Cutler in 2009 to start every game for the team. He tied the record for lowest interceptions thrown in franchise history, threw for 3,551 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 485 rushing yards, and ranked first in TD-INT ratio, fourth in completion percentage, and fourth in rushing yards per game compared to other No. 1 overall rookie QBs.

On top of that, he set the record for most consecutive pass attempts without an interception by a rookie. The Bears finally have reason to celebrate at quarterback. All that’s left is to get the head coaching hire right and address the offensive line this offseason.

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Offensive Player of the Year: Darnell Wright

The Bears’ offensive line struggled this year—badly. However, second-year tackle Darnell Wright was the one bright spot. Debates about whether the Bears should have taken Jalen Carter over Wright are pointless. Without Wright, the entire offensive line would need replacements.

Wright finished as a top-16 tackle according to PFF and still has plenty of room to grow. The potential is there for Wright to be in the conversation amongst the top tackles in the league. With better support around him, he’ll be able to reach new heights next season.

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Defensive Player of the Year: Jaylon Johnson

The lone Pro Bowler for the Bears, Jaylon Johnson continues to solidify his status as one of the NFL’s premier cornerbacks. With Tyrique Stevenson struggling and Jaquan Brisker limited to just five games, Johnson’s consistent presence across 17 games was a lifeline for the defense. His new contract hasn’t slowed him down.

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Rookie of the Year: Tory Taylor

Caleb Williams technically is also the Bears rookie of the year, but Tory Taylor deserves recognition for his outstanding year. The rookie punter broke franchise records for both net (41.6) and gross (47.7) punting averages. Happy to see that spending a fourth-round pick on a punter didn’t backfire, especially like what happened when the Buccaneers drafted kicker Roberto Aguayo in the second round.

Free Agent Signing of the Year: Kevin Byard

Signing a 31-year-old safety in free agency seemed like a risky move, but it paid off. Not only was Kevin Byard one of the main leaders on the team, but he also finished third among safeties in total tackles (130), with two sacks and one interception. Excited to have him for at least another year, and the hope is he continues to perform at a high level.

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Underrated Player of the Year: Kyler Gordon

Ranking in the top 20 among cornerbacks according to PFF, Kyler Gordon put on a show this season. Not only is he the most underrated player on the Bears, but he’s also one of the most underrated players in the NFL. He can make every tackle, guard any player, and perform at the highest level 100% of the time. Let’s hope the Bears re-sign him ASAP.

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Most Disappointing Player of the Year: Montez Sweat

All the talk before the season was trying to find someone to pair with Montez Sweat, but Sweat himself hasn’t nearly performed up to expectations this season. It’s disappointing because the Bears traded a second-round pick and gave him a massive extension. Especially because the Bears desperately need help getting to the quarterback, so having Sweat regress has been a huge disappointment. He’ll need to step it up in a huge way next season.

Glad He’s Gone Award: Nate Davis

Nate Davis was the cherry on top of the Bears offensive line woes. Signed to a three-year, $30 million contract, Davis struggled to perform and often missed practices. Signing a player with reported concerns about his commitment to practice proved to be a costly mistake for GM Ryan Poles.

Here’s to hoping for a more promising offseason ahead.

Main Image: Daniel Bartel – USA Today Sports

The post Bears 2024 Season Awards: Stars, Surprises, and Disappointments appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.