He did not refer to the Chicago Bears as a “Dream Team” or anything like that.

But Lance Briggs, the seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker, did say “on paper, we look like a champion.”

Visiting this morning with the “Mully & Hanley Show” on WSCR-670 AM, Briggs talked about the major expectations for the club that has failed to reach the postseason in four of the last five years.

“On paper, we look like a champion, but we have a lot of work to do before we can be called a champion,” Briggs said. “There were moves that were made in the offseason to bring in a lot of veteran (players.) Of course, Brandon Marshall and Michael Bush just put us in a position where we’re able to transition that stuff onto the field to be a real contender.”

The Bears made an emphasis of improving the offense under new general manager Phil Emery, adding a top wide receiver and replacing last year’s failed backup back Marion Barber. Paired with quarterback Jay Cutler and running back Matt Forte, the Bears believe they will have a much more explosive attack.

“We definitely have the right ingredients for a high-powered offense,” Briggs said. “When our defense is on the sideline and our offense is scoring points, everybody is happy.”

The ultimate happiness, however, doesn’t come without a Super Bowl ring. We’ll see if the paper champions can materialize into the real deal on the field.

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune