The Chicago Bears might not be as bad as you think

Matt Williamson is a former scout for the Cleveland Browns and spent 10 years at ESPN as a scout and co-host of "The Football Today Podcast." Find him on Twitter (@WilliamsonNFL).

It was easy to poke fun at the Chicago Bears for trading up just one spot - forfeiting some valuable picks in the process - in the 2017 NFL Draft for the opportunity to select quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.

We're only two games into the preseason, but that move doesn’t look quite so comical anymore. In fact, contrary to popular belief, there's a very clear plan in Chicago, for both now and the future.

We don't know when Trubisky will take over as the Bears' starting quarterback, but we do know that day is coming sooner rather than later. Mike Glennon is a quality quarterback, and the Bears have invested heavily in him as well, but we know how the NFL works. Teams don’t do what Chicago did only to have their hopeful franchise quarterback sit on the bench.

Plus, the biggest knock (but not the only one) on Trubisky coming out of school was that he hadn’t played enough - another reason it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to have him sidelined for his entire rookie campaign.

In early preseason action, Trubisky's shown that he's a mobile and accurate passer. He appears to have a very good feel for the game and looks comfortable behind center. His arm strength is average as starting NFL quarterbacks go, but his efficiency can really propel his game.

But regardless, the Bears are going to be terrible this year, right? Well, they're not a playoff contender, but this is a better football team than you might think.

First of all, no roster in the NFL was hit as hard by injuries last year as the Bears. That destroyed a team that lacked depth, and should change for the better in 2017. Ditto for turnover production by the defense, as the Bears only forced 11 all of last season - an all-time low.

In fact, the defense is an underrated group as a whole, especially the front seven. Chicago is a good tackling unit and has put a lot of resources into improving that front seven over the past few offseasons.

There are now building blocks in place, led by Eddie Goldman, Akiem Hicks, Jonathan Bullard, Pernell McPhee, Leonard Floyd, Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan. McPhee needs to stay healthy, Hicks and Floyd could be primed for gigantic seasons, and Floyd is one of the NFL’s premier defensive breakout candidates.

Expect Chicago to continue building its secondary next offseason, too, and it's already in much better shape than when we saw it last. New additions Prince Amukamara and Quintin Demps are not Pro Bowlers, but are respectable NFL starters and can hold down the fort. Also, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will mostly employ two deep safeties, which lessens the stress on this unit overall.

But it's the offense that everyone is focusing on. There will surely be growing pains at the quarterback position - and it won't be an upper-tier unit overall - but there are solid pieces in place.

For starters, the Bears' interior offensive line is as good as any in the league. Their tackles aren't at the level of their guards and center, but they aren't major liabilities, either. This line gives Chicago a foundation.

As we saw last year, that foundation is a strong running game led by Jordan Howard - a power back who was no fluke. With his excellent vision and decisiveness, he excels in Chicago’s inside- or outside-zone scheme. The offense should continue to run through Howard, who will get the ball early and often with the hope that the defense can keep games close.

This will allow the Bears' offense to presumably stay away from too many threatening down-and-distance situations, and should open up the play-action game for the quarterbacks. It will be a controlled and measured attack that gradually puts more and more on Trubisky’s plate.

This approach worked extremely well for stalwarts such as Ben Roethlisberger and Russell Wilson. This isn’t to imply that Trubisky will lead a contender as those two quarterbacks did very early in their career. But the philosophy remains the same and fits John Fox’s coaching persona extremely well.

Finally, as is the case with Chicago’s secondary, more work needs to be done with the receivers. But the cupboard isn’t totally bare here, either.

The Bears brought in two king-sized tight ends in Dion Sims and Adam Shaheen. Expect to see a high percentage of double-tight end sets, with Zach Miller also factoring in. This will help Chicago’s offensive tackles, add a physical edge to this side of the ball, and provide large middle-of-the-field targets in the passing game.

We shall see, but the Bears hope they've found Trubisky’s partner in crime for years to come in Shaheen, who like his counterpart will need time to develop. But the pair can grow together.

At wide receiver, Cameron Meredith was a very pleasant surprise last year. He has a great body for the position and is extremely athletic. The pieces are in place for him to take another step in 2017.

Chicago also has a bevy of smaller slot types in Kendall Wright, Markus Wheaton, and Victor Cruz. None of these are likely to be long-term solutions, but they do have move-the-chains skills.

Offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains’ primary personnel grouping employs three wide receivers. If one or two of Wright, Wheaton, or Cruz can be counted on week after week, that would go a long way.

The huge wild card here, though, is Kevin White. He had a ton of ability as a draft prospect, but was very raw. He needed a lot of work and simply hasn’t gotten it due to injuries. When he has seen the field, White has played tentatively and hasn’t looked as explosive as he was in college. This is a pivotal year for White, and if he steps up Chicago might just have Trubisky’s top receiver. If not, that becomes priority No. 1 next offseason.

The Bears aren't a contender - but they are growing. And more importantly, they're doing it the right way.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)