15 Most Impactful Bears of 2024: Ranking Chicago's biggest contributors - Yahoo Sports
The Chicago Bears concluded their 2024 season, where they finished with a 5-12 record that included a 10-game losing streak, a head coach firing and three different offensive coordinators.
But Chicago has already turned a corner this offseason with the hiring of new head coach Ben Johnson, who will be responsible with developing quarterback Caleb Williams and righting this franchise.
Here at Bears Wire, we counted down our 15 Most Impactful Bears for the 2024 season. We recapped their 2024 season and looked ahead to how -- or whether -- they factor into 2025.
From impact rookies to new and returning veterans, we've rounded up our most impactful contributors from the 2024 season.
Kmet was the second-leading pass catcher on the 2023 squad behind DJ Moore but faced more competition when it came to targets in 2024. With additions such as running back D'Andre Swift, wide receivers Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze, and even tight end Gerald Everett, Kmet's role was more cloudy than it had been in the past. In Week 1, Kmet played behind Everett and saw just one pass for four yards in the rollercoaster victory against the Tennessee Titans. -- Brendan Sugrue
For better or worse, Pryor was forced into an impactful role with the Bears in 2024 following the benching and subsequent release of Nate Davis, who signed a three-year deal during the 2023 offseason to shore up that right guard spot, and Ryan Bates battling injuries all season. The interior offensive line was the weakness of the group, and Pryor definitely had his struggles. He gave up a team-high 7.0 sacks (tied with fellow reserve Larry Borom) and committed seven penalties, which tied for the second-most among Chicago offensive linemen. But Pryor wasn't supposed to be a long-term starter, and he wound up starting at guard -- primarily on the right side -- in 15 games. -- Alyssa Barbieri
As the season progressed, the Bears defense wasn't as effective, though Edwards still shined for much of the season. He had four more tackles for loss than he did in 2023, notched a career high in sacks, did not allow a passing touchdown last season, and had just five missed tackles all year long, eight fewer than 2023. Edwards' best plays consisted of getting a crucial sack against Jayden Daniels and intercepting Drake Maye. Though he was extremely active, Edwards finished second on the team in total tackles behind Kevin Byard. --Brendan Sugrue
There were high expectations for Odunze alongside fellow first-round rookie Caleb Williams, and it's clear the pair have a bright future together. But Odunze had a somewhat modest rookie season as the third receiver on the depth chart behind veterans DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, who were the top-two leading receivers before Odunze at No. 3. Still, Odunze showed incredible promise with some impressive catches and his route-running ability with his 54 receptions for 734 yards. Odunze had two games with 100-plus receiving yards, including a Week 3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts (6 receptions, 112 yards, 1 touchdown) and a Week 9 loss to the Arizona Cardinals (5 receptions, 104 yards). But Odunze was rather underutilized during his rookie season, especially considering his skillset. He had just four games with 50-plus receiving yards in 17 contests. -- Alyssa Barbieri
Gordon continued to raise his profile in 2024 with another solid season. He made impactful plays for much of the season and had standout games, like his performance against the Minnesota Vikings when he had two big pass breakups, or against the Seattle Seahawks when he forced a big fumble and nearly had a scoop and score. Gordon showcased his "Spider-Man" persona quite a bit with his ability to fly in and break up a play. The only downside of his 2024 campaign was injuries. Gordon missed two games due to a hamstring injury in the middle of the season. Overall, he was one of the most consistent players on defense and continues to look like one of the better nickel cornerbacks in the league. -- Brenda Sugrue
The addition of Sweat last year elevated the Bears' dismal pass rush. And coming off a career year, where he had 12.5 sacks leading both Chicago and the Washington Commanders, expectations were high for the Pro Bowl edge rusher. But Sweat's production dipped in his first full season with the Bears, where he had the fewest sacks (5.5) since the 2021 season (5.0). Sweat battled ankle, toe and shin injuries that limited him, but he did appear in all but one game. Chicago's pass rush lacked a true complement to Sweat, who commanded extra attention with double teams and chips, which showed in the lack of production off the edge outside of Sweat. His best game came in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Rams, where he had one sack, one forced fumble, one pass breakup, two tackles, one tackle for loss and one QB hit. -- Alyssa Barbieri
Dexter's rookie season in 2023 wasn't anything to write home about, but he finished the year strong and earned starter status in 2024 following the departure of Justin Jones. Coaches and teammates were also raving about his slimmed-down physique during the offseason, and suddenly Dexter was being talked about as a breakout candidate in this defense. He lived up to the hype early on, too. Dexter was extremely productive at the start of the season, getting four sacks and three tackles for loss within the first five weeks. His disruption on the line created opportunities for his teammates as the Bears cruised to a 4-2 start. But just like the Bears as a whole, Dexter's play became inconsistent as the season wore on. The loss of Andrew Billings affected Dexter's play, and he wasn't as effective without him. Dexter also dealt with nagging injuries, missing two games down the stretch. -- Brendan Sugrue
The Bears offensive line was among the worst in the NFL this season, allowing a league-high and franchise-worst 68 sacks on rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. With that said, Jones was one of the brighter spots on the offensive line, alongside fellow tackle Darnell Wright, as the interior proved to be the biggest issue. Jones was the team's starting left tackle for the third straight season, where he allowed 5.0 sacks and 26 pressures while earning his highest Pro Football Focus grade of his career with a 77.4. That was second only to Wright, who was the highest-graded player on offense. Jones also had a 80.8 pass blocking grade, which was the best in his three-year career. But Jones appeared in just 12 games this season after dealing with a knee sprain, concussion and a broken ankle that ended his season in Week 16. -- Alyssa Barbieri
The Bears entered the great 2024 running back sweepstakes last offseason in hopes of finding a dynamic runner. While players like Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs were all available, the Bears went in a different direction and quickly signed D'Andre Swift to a three-year, $24 million contract when free agency began. At first, the signing appeared to be disastrous. Swift could not get out of his own way and totaled just 31 rushing yards through three weeks. Something clicked after that, though, as Swift became a dynamic threat and totaled 388 rushing yards and four touchdowns the next four weeks as Bears fans and fantasy fans apologized for their harsh criticism. From there, however, he was inconsistent. Swift struggled to hit the hole properly and went down on first contact too often. Despite being the first Bears running back to start every game since Jordan Howard in 2017, the 26-year-old wasn't able to break 1,000 rushing yards on the season. -- Brendan Sugrue
The Bears signed Byard to a two-year, $15 million deal last offseason to fill the shoes of Eddie Jackson, who was released due to his large salary cap hit. Byard stepped into a veteran role opposite Jaquan Brisker, and they were a solid duo before Brisker suffered what turned into a season-ending concussion in Week 5. Byard was one of the more reliable members of the defense, posting a career-high 130 total tackles, becoming the first Bears defensive back to lead the team in tackles since 2014. He also tied a career-high 2.0 sacks and made plays be it through forcing takeaways, recovering turnovers and breaking up passes. Byard also started every game in 2024, which was huge for this defense. But outside of his production was his impact as a whole, as Byard served as a veteran leader in a relatively young secondary. Given the difficulties of a frustrating 5-12 season, it was needed. Not only did Byard serve as a leader to his teammates, he was one of several Bears veterans who spoke out amid Matt Eberflus' coaching struggles and the lack of accountability in the locker room. -- Alyssa Barbieri
The Bears entered the 2024 season with multiple question marks on the offensive line, ranging from who their center would be to Nate Davis' availability. There was cause for concern, but not when it came to Wright. The 2023 first-round pick showed promise during his rookie season and was poised to take a step in Year 2. Though Wright had some injury concerns during training camp, he was healthy for the season and played extremely well for most of it. Wright's PFF grade of 79.3 was the highest of any Bears player last season and 15th highest among tackles across the league. He kept Williams clean more often than not, despite having very little help due to the issues with the interior. The Bears right tackle was left on an island for 71% of the snaps in 2024 via Kirsten Tanis. The offensive line as a whole wasn't good as evidenced by the 68 sacks they surrendered, but Wright was solid as he continues to develop. -- Brendan Sugrue
Moore has been one of Ryan Poles' biggest acquisitions in his three-year tenure, and the Bears locked him down to a four-year, $110 million extension through 2029. It was a bit of a challenging year for Moore, who still managed to lead Chicago in receiving with nearly 1,000 yards and a career-best 98 receptions. But Moore came under scrutiny for his visible frustration throughout a difficult season, and it took some time for Moore and Caleb Williams to get on the same page. Despite a loaded receiver group, also featuring Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze, Moore still showed he can be an impactful weapon for this offense. -- Alyssa Barbieri
The Bears made a surprising trade last offseason when they acquired Allen from the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for a fourth-round pick. Allen only had one year left on his contract, but the idea was to give Williams another sure-handed receiver while he acclimated to the NFL. Though Allen wasn't as productive as he was in 2023 when he was in Los Angeles, he became a trusted target for Williams. Despite missing two games early in the year, Allen's 121 targets were just 19 fewer than DJ Moore's. Williams looked for him more often than not in intermediate situations, and Allen showed he still had some gas left in the tank with a couple of monster games. He produced two multi-touchdown games and tied his single-season record for most touchdowns with seven. -- Brendan Sugrue
The Bears signed Jaylon Johnson to a lucrative 4-year, $76 million contract extension last offseason, and he followed up his career year with another Pro Bowl season amid a disappointing 5-12 outing. Johnson further established himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the league, and opposing teams opted to stay away from him instead targeting Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon. But when Johnson was targeted, he was a top lockdown corner in the league. Johnson's best outing came in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans, where he had four tackles, two tackles for loss, allowed just one catch for -2 yards, one forced incompletion, a 2.8 passer rating allowed and the game-winning interception. Johnson was the highest-graded cornerback, per Pro Football Focus, in the NFL in Week 1. -- Alyssa Barbieri
The Bears officially gave the keys to the organization to Williams when he was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. But what was supposed to be an excellent support system from players and coaches alike turned into a nightmare for the rookie signal caller. Williams endured a rollercoaster of a season that was filled with turmoil, frustration, midseason firings, multiple play callers, and injuries up front. His 68 sacks taken were the most in the NFL by far, and he struggled at times to make accurate throws downfield. Through it all, however, Williams had stretches of brilliance as he broke every meaningful rookie record in franchise history and produced a top-five passing season of any Bears quarterback. Williams also became the first Bears quarterback in 15 years to start every single game in a season. -- Brendan Sugrue
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Most Impactful Bears of 2024: Ranking Chicago's biggest contributors
