When Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles revealed a Lego construction block during his end-of-season news conference in January 2023, it led to some jokes on social media.

The Bears were 3-14. How many blocks would they need? How much time would poles be given to amass the blocks? Would the Legos withstand what most Bears teams have not and eventually establish something sustainable?

That matters even more when looking ahead to 2024, when the Bears are in position to take a quarterback No. 1 overall, their third first-round pick at the position in eight years.

This time, they have the Lego blocks. If it’s Caleb Williams, he’ll have a lot more to work with than Mitch Trubisky did. And he knows it. He noted their 2023 record of 7-10 at the combine.

“That’s pretty good for a team that has the first pick,” Williams remarked. “And they’ve got a good defense. They’ve got terrific players on offense, and it’s extremely exciting if you can go into a situation like that.”

The fourth annual analysis of the Bears, structured by roster tiers, necessitated a new category to reflect the depth of the current roster and a record number of players the team can feel good about moving into free agency. We did not add Justin Fields, as we’re thinking the Bears will move on from their 2021 first-round pick. We still lead with the core pieces—players who, based on skill, contract, and position, have the potential to be long-term mainstays with the squad.

The core elements include blue-chip players but also starters at premium positions who have demonstrated enough to be locked into that role not just for 2024 but ’25 as well.

Like Brisker and Gordon did last year, Wright proved enough as a rookie to be a foundational element. That’s how talented Wright was in Year 1, and he should only get better.

Brisker has to stay healthy but is going to be the starting safety for at least the next two years. His physical abilities are apparent. Stevenson also received the nod after just one season. He’s far from perfect and gave up big plays at times, but he should have been an All-Rookie corner with his stats (four picks, 16 passes defensed). Gordon’s play in the nickel last season was fantastic and underestimated, too.

Moore is a no-doubter, the playmaking threat the offense has needed for years. Sweat and Johnson went to the Pro Bowl. Kmet signed an extension last summer and is locked in as the No. 1 tight end for the foreseeable future.

And as we approach free agency, we can see that Poles’ top two recruits from last March are already part of the foundation. Edmunds and Edwards started out with sluggish starts, but both played at a high level in the second half of the season. They’ll be a significant component of this defense for the next few seasons.

When healthy, Jenkins is a force to be watched. He’s probably in the Pro Bowl if he can play a complete season. But there’s a reason he’s poised to reach the final year of his rookie contract. It’s all about his durability.

Jones had a neck issue in 2023 that cost him some time, and that may weigh on Poles if one of the best tackles is available at No. 9. Like his predecessor, Charles Leno, Jones is decent, not great, but he does have a lot of potential and could continue to progress. We’ll learn a lot about what the team thinks of him based on what they do in the next two months.

Dexter has the tools to be an impactful three-technique, but he always lagged behind Justin Jones in playing time. We’ll see what the Bears do at that position, with someone like Christian Wilkins available, but Dexter has more to prove before moving up a tier.

Bates is the starting center for now. The Bears are taking on his salary and handed up a fifth-round selection for him, which isn’t generally a price paid for a backup. But it also won’t prohibit them from picking a center. Bates might be the guy for the next two seasons (his contract is up after 2025), but it all depends on who else Poles adds to the position.

It’s definitely unfair to criticize Davis severely based on his first season as a Bear, considering he suffered a family loss at the start of the season and then a high ankle sprain. Still, there is an out in his deal after ’24. It’s hard to designate him as a multiyear mainstay based on a brief ’23 season.

An off-season goal should be adding an edge rusher to join Walker and Sweat. Like Davis, there’s an out in Walker’s deal where the Bears may move on without any financial sting after ’24. He’s been a vocal leader on the team, and his effect increased after the arrival of Sweat, but his future past ’24 isn’t as apparent until we know who the Bears add to his position.

Herbert is entering the final year of his rookie contract. His back-to-back 100-yard outings in Weeks 15 and 16 were reminiscent of what he had done in place of David Montgomery in earlier seasons. It took him a few weeks to rediscover his form after a Week 5 ankle injury. But then he had only 28 yards in the season finale. At a non-premium position, this could be Herbert’s final season as a Bear. Pending a free-agent addition, Herbert is still in a position to start.

Bears buzz at the combine: What we heard about Caleb Williams, Justin Fields, and free agency

This is our new category to account for the depth that Poles has added. Billings turned out to be a great addition last year and earned a new deal. Pickens didn’t dazzle as much as Dexter, but he will be in the rotation and should only grow. Those men will be in the mix for the next couple of seasons, but not necessarily at positions that get a lot of attention.

Last year, we had Sanborn in the “possible foundational players” area. Then Edmunds and Edwards joined the team. As a strongside linebacker, Sanborn’s duty isn’t as crucial, yet he continued to be a playmaker when called to start for an injured teammate. His special team value is also strong.

Johnson might not be a bell-cow tailback, but his role on special teams and in the backfield will allow him to remain part of this club for the next couple of seasons.

Santos had a record-setting season and got a well-deserved contract extension. He’s made 90.4 percent of his field goal tries as a Bear.

We’ll see if the Bears would prefer to add a proven backup quarterback if they take Williams at No. 1, but Bagent more than proved himself last season as a competent backup. You can never have enough corners, and the Bears truly like Smith, the top backup at the position.

The rest of the players under contract are individuals who will likely be challenged for a roster position by rookies or free-agent arrivals.

Scott and Sewell, 2023 draft picks, should be on the team next season. Sewell will keep his place as the top backup at linebacker and a primary special teamer. Scott’s role is to be established based on which receivers are brought in. The same can be said for Jones, a brilliant kickoff returner who never found any consistency on offense. Can his role in the third phase be enough to earn him a third season?

Blackwell is one of the league’s best on special teams, and he and Jones have proved to be reliable backups in the secondary. Cornerback is undoubtedly the Bears’ deepest position.

We’ll see what new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron thinks of the fullback position. Blasingame plays a lot on special teams, so he could still be safe. Borom, a swing tackle, is entering the last year of his rookie contract and is ready for a raise thanks to the proven performance escalator.

Poles will add two top-10 picks—if he doesn’t trade back from No. 9—a couple starters from free agency and mid-round selections who may fight for regular roles to what is looking like a really good foundation. The 2024 Bears roster has a shot to be the most well-rounded we’ve seen since 2018.