In May in the NFL, hope springs eternal. Everyone has a chance at 12 or 13 wins. Every team can theoretically win its division, make a deep playoff run, dream of playing in February. On paper, every team is better than ever. Free agency and the draft in the off-season have addressed all major needs, and the outlook is rosier than ever.
Rarely does this sharp optimism translate to August, let alone September and its sister months of the fall. When it comes to the Bears, the enthusiasm might be warranted for once. That’s the power that comes pre-packaged with the draft selection of a big boy quarterback prospect for the first time in decades.