The Chicago Bears are very much a team on the rise. 

After a disappointing 2022 season ended with the team securing the No. 1 overall pick, the team made a flurry of moves to improve the roster going into the 2023 season. Additionally, longtime Packer QB Aaron Rodgers is no longer in the division, and the Minnesota Vikings appear to be entering a rebuild. 

Even with all of these factors, the Bears are still not getting much love from the national media. 

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk recently released his updated post-offseason program power rankings. 

There were not many surprises at the top with the Chiefs, Eagles, 49ers, Bengals, and Bills making up the top five. 

However, if you're looking for the Bears, you'll have to scroll to the bottom. Florio has the Bears at No. 29, ahead of only the lowly Colts, Texans, and Cardinals. This is after the Bears made significant improvements to the defense and offensive line, which were two of the biggest problem areas in 2022. 

Florio provided the following analysis of the Bears:

The development of Justin Fields as a passer is the thing that can push them into contention.

While a true statement, it's hard to understand the rationale behind putting the Bears so low. I think an argument can be easily made to put the Bears ahead of the Commanders, Falcons, Buccaneers, and Panthers. Additionally, Florio has the Packers all the way at No. 18 even after losing several key contributors and having a new starting QB. 

Florio is correct that Fields' development will be a key factor in the Bears' ranking later this season. With an improved receiver core and offensive line, the sky is the limit for the young QB in 2023. 

Featured image via © Jamie Sabau | 2022 Sep 25