The Chicago Bears’ wide receivers corps suffered through injuries and suspensions in 2016. Whoever becomes the quarterback needs dependable receivers.
The Chicago Bears wide receivers corps suffered a great deal in 2016. They lost players to injuries and suspensions. They found out that some of the players that stepped up weren’t ready for primetime. An array of dropped passes (10 in one game alone) and bad routes contributed to an awful 3-13 season.
While getting a receiver through the draft will almost be a given, the main avenue the team needs to go is through free agency. There are a number of receivers available this year (Spotrac estimates about 43) who could add depth as number one receivers all the way down to added depth players.
Just a couple of seasons ago, the Bears had one of the best receiving corps in the NFL, having two 1,000-yards receivers. That seems like a long time ago. The Bears need help in just about every area.
It won’t matter who the quarterback is in 2017 if there isn’t a receivers corps that he could feel comfortable with. As we saw in 2016, a team cannot win with the running game alone. This is a passing league, and in order to have that, receivers need to catch the ball.
With that, here are some free agent wide receivers the Chicago Bears need to target:
Michael Floyd, 26 (6-foot-3, 225 pounds)
I liked Floyd when he came out of Notre Dame in 2012. He went to the Arizona Cardinals with the 13th overall pick.
Floyd gives the quarterback a tall, big target. He has a large catch radius and has good hands. Durability is a plus for him as well. In his five seasons in the NFL, he missed just two games.
For his career, Floyd has 246 receptions for 3,781 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Floyd is not just a pass-catching receiver. He also blocks very well. In a game late in the season against the Miami Dolphins, he loaded a crunching block downfield that allowed a long touchdown to occur. The Bears’ reputation is for big hits, and they need to return to that.
There is a big red flag with Floyd, however. The Cardinals released him late in the season after an arrest for DUI. He also had one while attending Notre Dame. If he gets the help he needs he will be a tremendous asset.
After getting cut by the Cardinals, the New England Patriots quickly picked Floyd up. He’s been slowly picking up the playbook. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady praises the work he’s put in.
“It’s been great to have him,” Brady said in his weekly WEEI interview. “We needed him.
“We all know how hard it is to find a role as a receiver in our offense, and we’ve talked about so many players over the years that haven’t been able to accomplish that.
“To come in two weeks after being in the same system for four years, like he was, and then come in and play basically the whole game and make play after play . . . I think it just gives everyone confidence that he can establish a role for himself and that we can rely and count on him when it matters.”
Perhaps he may play a big part in the upcoming Super Bowl. In any case, he could play a big part in a resurgent Chicago Bears offense.
DeSean Jackson, 30 (5-foot-10, 180 pounds)
The Chicago Bears offense suffered from not having enough big plays. You need a few of them sprinkled throughout a game or season. If the offense keeps inching yard-by-yard without getting big chunks at some time eventually ends up in not getting in the end zone consistently. In 2016, the Bears ranked 28th in scoring, even though they ranked 15th in yards. The point of the game is to score more than your opponent, and field goals won’t do that.
If the Bears look for a big-play receiver, there aren’t many players better than DeSean Jackson.
Jackson averages 17.2 yards per reception over his career. He led the league in yards per reception three times, including this season (17.9).
Jackson missed six games due to injury in 2015 and had 30 catches for 528 yards, but in 2016 he returned to play in 15 games. He made 56 catches for 1,005 yards. It was the fifth time in nine seasons he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark. For his career, he has 46 touchdowns.
With his speed and big play ability, Jackson also helps on special teams. He averages 9.6 yards per punt return and reached the end zone 4 times.
Pro Football Focus analyzed Jackson and showed that when Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins targeted Jackson, his passer rating was 107.2.
Jackson still has another season on his contract, but Washington has five days after the Super Bowl to decide whether or not to keep him. They have a big decision on Cousins, and it appears they cannot afford to keep both Cousins and Jackson. In that case, Jackson becomes a valued free agent.
Having Jackson in the Chicago Bears offense instantly improves it. Having him on the field opens things up over the middle when defenses have to protect deep. He gives the offense a lot more flexibility and choices.
Markus Wheaton, 25 (5-foot-11, 190 pounds)
With the suspension of Martavis Bryant for the season, Wheaton was to be a big part of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense.
After three games, however, he suffered a shoulder injury and required surgery on his labrum. He missed the rest of the season.
Being an unrestricted free agent, not many teams will take a chance and give Wheaton a big contract. He needs to sign a one-year, “prove it” kind of contract to show he can still play at a high level.
That could turn out to be an advantage for the Bears.
With more money in cap space than most other teams, the Bears could offer Wheaton a bigger one year offer without breaking the bank.
Wheaton could replace the oft-injured Eddie Royal in the slot. Yes, Wheaton had major injury, but aside from his rookie season, he played in every game (between 2014 and 2015). Royal had a litany of injuries that kept him off the field. He missed 13 games in seven seasons in Denver and San Diego, then went and missed 14 games in two seasons in Chicago.
Wheaton averages 14.0 yards per catch and has 8 touchdowns. As I said, finding the end zone is of great importance and something the Bears struggled with over the past several seasons.
Of course, Wheaton could return to Pittsburgh since he is familiar with the system. The problem, though, is that Bryant may be reinstated, and Ronnie Coates emerged late as a good option. Add to that the fact that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said he may retire and Wheaton could end up somewhere else.
Wheaton has good hands and the speed to break away after catches. He also helps on kickoff returns. He averages 23.6 yards per kickoff return.
With all the injuries suffered by the Chicago Bears in 2016, some may wonder why they’d sign someone with major injury. If the Bears sign him to a team-friendly deal, however, they could end up with a steal.
Robert Woods, 24 (6-foot-1, 205 pounds)
The Buffalo Bills are in flux at the moment. They need to hire a new head coach, and they appear to be moving on from quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
As a result of this uncertainty, the Chicago Bears could be winners.
Robert Woods came to Buffalo in 2013 as a second-round pick out of USC. He was the second-leading receiver on the Bills’ offense, making 51 catches for 613 yards (12.0 yards per catch). He is a dependable number two receiver with good hands and a good route runner.
The Bills are in shambles at the moment. With all the problems going on, Woods’ best decision could be to walk away. The Taylor situation may be Woods‘ biggest concern.
“I feel like I have to take that into consideration, him being my quarterback for two years, finding ways to get the ball this year and make plays with A-Lynn and (assistant coach Chris) Palmer stepping in, ” Woods said. “We already put in the work, we already have some timing down, and now my part, being healthy and being able to take off and do a lot more than we did.”
There are rumors that Taylor may be an offseason target for the Bears. If they do sign Taylor, Woods may decide to come over as well. As a result of having a receiver he’s already comfortable with, a new quarterback can adjust more quickly to his new team.
Signing a good, dependable receiver as young as Woods helps the offense improve and stay good for the near future. He wouldn’t be a one-and-done player since he is now in the prime of his career.
Russell Shepard, 26 (6-foot-1, 200 pounds)
Going through free agency doesn’t always mean signing the big-name players. Sometimes success in free agency involves finding a diamond on a bargain.
Shepard could be a steal for the Chicago Bears (or anyone else who signs him). In his first 3+ seasons in Tampa Bay, he did not see much time at receiver. He played mostly on special teams.
Much as the Bears did in 2016, the Bucs experienced injury troubles to their receivers corps. As a result, Shepard got a shot to perform, and he made the best of that shot.
Shepard made 23 catches for 343 yards after making 7 for 91 in his previous three seasons combined. He averaged 14.8 yards per catch and scored two touchdowns. He made at least one catch of 10 yards or more in each of his last nine games.
The Bears could sign Shepard for added depth, and he can end up playing a bigger part of the offense. He could be a part of the rotation and get regular playing time AS A RECEIVER.
Shepard will get a bump in salary wherever he goes, but signing him will still be for a relatively low cost. He is a receiver who gets downfield, opening up the field for other receivers and giving his quarterbacks more options. As any quarterback will tell you, having options is a luxury greatly appreciated.
Alshon Jeffery, 26 (6-foot-4, 23 pounds)
Yes, I included the Chicago Bears’ own Jeffery on this list. He is the best available wide receiver in free agency. The Bears need to do what they can to keep him.
I know Jeffery missed a number of games due to injuries and in 2016 he missed time due to a suspension due to PED use. Nonetheless, he is a special player and needs to be a part of the team’s rebuild. Keeping him and putting other receivers around him hastens the improvement.
Of course, bringing Jeffery back hinges on him wanting to come back. I felt at times that he wasn’t all in on being in Chicago. A big part of the reason is his rapport (or lack thereof) with Jay Cutler. For whatever reason, he and Cutler haven’t been on the same page over the years. I still don’t understand why Cutler didn’t look for Jeffery more in the end zone, with Jefferey’s height and strength advantage over any cornerback covering him.
On the other hand, if Cutler appears to be on his way out, Jeffery may have a different feeling about Chicago. That suspension may also be enough of an embarrassment for him to stay and go all out.
One good sign is Jeffery’s guarantee of a Chicago Bears Super Bowl. Of course, no one realistically expects that to come to fruition, but it is refreshing to have someone come out and show pride and emotion on this team. For too long, many players seem to just come in, play the game, and take their paycheck. This statement shows that perhaps Jeffery wants to come back.
Some say that with the suspension and injury risk, the Bears should tag Jeffery a second time. That would be a big mistake. Tagging him costs the Bears over $17.5 million. Add that to the $14.6 million they spent on him in 2016, and that is over $32 million in two seasons and still a chance of him bolting after 2017.
According to Spotrac, Jeffery’s market value is 5 years at over $61 million. That is about %12.2 million per season. Rather than using up almost $6 million extra for a one-and-done season, they are better off keeping him under contract for some time.
Next: Will the Bears find their long-term quarterback?
With a happy Alshon Jeffery on the field and perhaps a new quarterback to work with, the Chicago Bears can expect greater things from their talented receiver. In addition, signing one or more of these other receivers can improve this offense by leaps and bounds.