Ryan Pace has decided to not match the New Orleans Saints’ offer sheet to Cameron Meredith. So, where do the Chicago Bears go from here?
In what can only be described as a puzzling move, Ryan Pace decided not to match the New Orleans Saints’ offer to Cameron Meredith. As a result, the Chicago Bears let a talented, homegrown player leave without getting anything in return. This is because Pace placed an original-round tender on him. Had he placed a second-round tender on Meredith, the Bears would have received a draft pick in return.
Instead, Pace determined Meredith’s knee injury was too concerning to warrant the guaranteed money the Saints offered. If Pace always had concerns about his knee, then what was the purpose of placing an original round tender on Meredith in the first place? The only explanation is that Pace never intended on bringing Meredith back.
#Bears current depth chart at WR looks something like this:
— Aaron Leming (@AaronLemingNFL) April 11, 2018
WR1- Allen Robinson
WR2- Taylor Gabriel
WR3- Kevin White
WR4- Josh Bellamy
WR5 & WR6- ????
They'll head into the draft one injury away from disaster again. Expect a high(ish) pick at WR.
As a result, Ryan Pace created an unnecessary hole and turned a position of strength into a position of need. He now has to address the wide receiver position, with limited draft capital. The Bears know better than any team how important wide receiver depth is.
They currently have two receivers coming off significant injuries, so it’s critical that they add another to the mix. Where do the Bears go from here? We take a look at some options to replace Meredith through the draft, as well as a potential free agent signing.