The Bears will have a ton of new faces in the locker room in 2023. 

After a dismal 2022 season, roster turnover was expected, and general manager Ryan Poles has delivered. 

The team has brought in Tremaine Edmunds, TJ Edwards, DJ Moore, Nate Davis, and more to create a much more competitive roster. However, some holdovers from the 2022 team could be set for big years.

With that being said, I wanted to identify the three Bears who are most likely to have a breakout season in 2023. 

Chase Claypool, WR

Claypool has spent the majority of his three-year career in conditions that are not conducive to wide receiver production. 

Claypool was selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft and was later traded for a second-rounder in the 2023 NFL Draft. Two teams have deemed the receiver worthy of a lofty investment, and he has likely not produced enough to justify it. 

The former USC Trojan had a solid rookie season, finishing with 62 catches for 873 yards and 9 TDs. However, 2021 and 2022 would both be challenging years for the receiver, as he struggled to get any momentum. 

I believe that 2023 could finally be the breakout year that many have expected for Claypool. The Bears added DJ Moore, who will undoubtedly be the number-one receiver. 

With Moore drawing the majority of the attention, and Darnell Mooney also being a threat, Claypool could be forgotten about by defenses. 

I doubt Claypool will ever be the receiver who catches 100 passes, but I would not be surprised to see him become a red-zone machine in 2023. 

Jaylon Johnson, CB

 Another player who was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Johnson has also yet to have a breakout season.

Johnson has only one interception in three seasons as a Bear and has yet to play a full season as well. 

2021 was Johnson's best season as he earned a respectable PFF grade and collected his lone interception. Instead of building on this season in 2022, Johnson's play regressed. 

However, the entire Bears' defense struggled in 2022. With added talent all over the field, perhaps Johnson will feel less pressure. 

Coming out of Utah, Johnson was compared to Shaq Griffin, as a physical corner who could contest 50-50 balls. Getting back to his roots could lead to flashes of that lockdown corner once again. 

I feel confident in predicting Johnson to have at least two interceptions this season. 

Khalil Herbert, RB

Given that the Bears have added two running backs in free agency this offseason, this pick may seem like a stretch. 

However, one of those additions, Travis Homer, is known for his special teams prowess and likely won't receive many touches out of the backfield. 

The other addition is D'Onta Foreman. Initially, Foreman seems likely to win the starting job. In 2022, Foreman ended with 914 rushing yards after taking over for Christian McCaffrey in Carolina. 

However, Foreman's bruising style of play is not conducive to being an every-down player in today's NFL. 

Herbert seems poised to be the third-down back to begin the season. With strong performances, he could easily overtake Foreman, who only signed a one-year deal. 

Foreman offers almost nothing in the passing game, coming down with just 23 receptions over his five-year career. Herbert hasn't exactly lit up the stat sheet either, but he is more agile and has made plays in the passing game occasionally. 

Foreman will almost assuredly score more times than Herbert in 2023, but touchdowns aren't everything. The Foreman/Herbert duo could be compared to the now-former Elliott/Pollard duo in Dallas. Pollard made the explosive plays, and Elliott got the first downs and scores. 

I see a similar scenario playing out in Chicago. Herbert averaged almost six yards per carry in 2022, which is insane considering the Bears' offensive line issues. 

With a bigger role, Herbert could surprise some people. 

Final Thoughts: Chase Claypool and Jaylon Johnson are both former second-round picks who have yet to produce at the expected level. Due to a more talented roster overall, less pressure should be placed on these players, thus resulting in breakout seasons. 

For Herbert, these same expectations are not there due to his status as a sixth-round pick. However, with former starter David Montgomery in Detroit now, Herbert has a fantastic chance to prove he belongs in 2023.