Chicago Bears: Anthony Miller strikes some as cocky, but he’ll back it up

Chicago Bears second-round pick Anthony Miller may have come across cocky in his recent response to ESPN’s Matthew Berry. Forget that notion, immediately.

There is something to be said about possessing a confidence that sends a stern warning to everyone opposing you in the game of football. For former Memphis standout and 2018 second-round pick, Anthony Miller, this confidence is exactly what he’s going to bring to the Chicago Bears beginning in his very first season.

Miller comes from a background of always being the guy who had to work his way to the top. A former walk-on, Miller made a name for himself by essentially asserting his presence as the most dominant on the football field — in every single game.

Some analysts gave him a label of being a player who wanted you to know he was the best player on the field, as soon as he stepped on it. For the Bears, this was a fresh attitude that the team hasn’t seen in a while — at least not an attitude that was backed up by solid play.

Recently, Miller sat down with ESPN Fantasy Football Analyst Matthew Berry to discuss the network’s outlook on his rookie season. Berry told Miller that he was projected for about 650 yards and four touchdowns. Miller’s response? Classic, if you knew what to expect from the former Tiger:

"“I always find the end zone. Four? That’s too low. That’s like two games for me. I just think I’m going to score at least eight touchdowns.”"

You heard it straight from the man himself: Eight touchdowns. That’s quite a number for a rookie to produce, let alone a Chicago Bears rookie. The Bears have seen some pretty dynamic rookies in recent years, with the likes of Jordan Howard, Tarik Cohen, Eddie Jackson and Adrian Amos bringing in some fantastic rookie campaigns.

If Miller were to finish his rookie year with a minimum of eight touchdowns, he might end up surpassing those guys for one of the more impressive rookie seasons in recent memory. The one thing I have seen from non-Bears fans after Miller’s remarks is the notion that he’s “too cocky,” or that he needs to “take a seat,” because he’s just a rookie.

What do you want the guy to say? Do you really think he’s going to sit back and say, “Yeah, you’re right Matthew. That sounds fine, to me.”

Absolutely not.

This guy is different. He has played his entire career with a chip on his shoulder. He was never handed a job, nor will he be handed a job on the Bears. Outside of Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel, everybody else within that group is going to be challenging for a prominent role. Robinson and Gabriel were brought in with a specific purpose, as veterans who can come in right away and contribute in the Bears’ new offense.

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Miller, while he’s a favorite to become another key member of the group, knows he’s a rookie. But, that won’t stop him from being confident. I’m looking forward to seeing that confidence translate into success through hard work this summer and a phenomenal preseason. Bears fans should be thrilled to finally have an offensive playmaker with this kind of swagger and confidence — Miller is the real deal.