The Chicago Bears have bought in. Justin Jones’ comments are just the latest clue

Carmen Vitali

NFC North Reporter

Whatever general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus are doing, the Chicago Bears have bought in.

It was just over a year ago that the Bears, coming off another disappointing season and failing to capitalize on the momentum created in 2020, fired Matt Nagy after four seasons (along with general manager Ryan Pace) and ushered in a new regime under Poles and Eberflus. Middling has been Mrs. O’Leary’s cow for the franchise and Chicago is attempting to rebuild once again.

But like the efforts after the Great Chicago Fire, the Bears are rebuilding brick by brick, an adage uttered by Poles himself throughout this process. There has been a huge emphasis on creating a foundation and building a new (and sustainable) culture. It now appears that enough bricks have been laid for Bears players to see the organizational vision, and they aren’t being shy about letting people know they like what they see.

The confidence and belief the team has in itself, coming off a 3-14 season, probably borders on delusional to outsiders. But to the city, it means something. Bears fans have had little to celebrate in my lifetime. Seeing players buy into the tradition of the team has to feel good.

Even if it’s shown in a “s****y” soundbite.

Defensive tackle Justin Jones spoke after the Bears’ first practice of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday. And though it’s June, the disdain with which he spoke about Chicago’s bitterest rival was palpable. Jones was asked a simple question about boogeyman (and self-declared owner of the Chicago Bears) Aaron Rodgers leaving the division, leaving it wide open for the taking.

“I wish he was playing one more year with Green Bay, honestly,” Jones said. “We went up there and we played a pretty good game, you know, but they got away from us at the end, obviously. And they won, but their fans are really shitty. So yeah, I wanted to go back up there and I wanted to play them and I want to beat them. I want him to be there so he can see it. But the fact that he’s gone now you know, I mean it’s cool. I guess it’s better for him not to be here. But yeah, I’m ready to take it over.

“It’s a good time to be a Bear fan. I’m not gonna lie to you.”

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And if you think Jones is saying these things because he’s a Chicago native or he’s been with the Bears for his entire career, think again. Last year was Jones’ first season in the blue and orange. He grew up in Georgia. That vitriol comes after just one year as part of the NFL’s oldest rivalry.

“I want to go back out there and beat the hell out of them on their field, and I want to hear the boos then,” he continued. “That’s what I look forward to.”

Jones is expected to be the Bears’ starting three-technique defensive tackle this season and served as team captain for part of last season after both Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith were traded. His confidence isn’t just placed on the side of the ball he resides, either. He offered up reason for optimism because of a key offensive connection — the “1-2 connection,” talking about quarterback Justin Fields and new No. 1 wide receiver D.J. Moore.

Moore was the Bears’ biggest acquisition this offseason; the catalyst for the trade package that saw Chicago give up the first overall pick and move down to No. 9. Fields now has his go-to guy. With Darnell Mooney expected to be back for the start of training camp and Chase Claypool acquired midseason last year, the Bears all of a sudden have a respectable crop of wide receivers for Fields to throw to. That hasn’t gone unnoticed in the locker room.

“I feel like a couple things were missing last year and I feel like Flus and Poles did a good job in the offseason filling in those pieces that we really need,” said veteran safety and 2022 team captain Eddie Jackson. “We’re all going out there and we’re ready to work.”

Jackson’s belief in the Bears manifested itself in the way he worked through injury rehabilitation after suffering a Lisfranc injury last season. He was a full participant in minicamp because, as Eberflus put it, he worked his butt off. Jackson didn’t take a vacation. He’s been up at team headquarters 40 miles north of the city since the injury. He’s not doing that if he doesn’t see something to believe in this season.

“The energy is just so intense out there right now,” Jackson said. “You get a bunch of guys like that, you’re going to create something special. We got a lot of young guys and they’re doing great. They’re coming in, foot on the pedal, they’re going all out. You have a team like that, something special is going to happen.”

The NFC North is anyone’s division. Each team has a path to the top. Each team knows they have a chance. And the Bears just aren’t being shy about the fact they know it.

Carmen Vitali covers the NFC North for FOX Sports. Carmen had previous stops with The Draft Network and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with the Bucs, including 2020, which added the title of Super Bowl Champion (and boat-parade participant) to her résumé. You can follow Carmen on Twitter at @CarmieV.

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