Chicago Bears: Comparing Anthony Miller’s 2018 outlook with fellow rookies
By Ryan Heckman
Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys
Michael Gallup comes to the Dallas Cowboys where their passing attack is nearly in shambles. The Cowboys lost both Dez Bryant and Jason Witten this offseason, who accounted for a whopping 196 targets in 2017.
To say Gallup has an opportunity for a lot of targets is an understatement. Thus far, in camp, Gallup has been lining up with the starters — to most Cowboys fans’ likening.
Gallup is bigger than Miller at 6-foot-1 (Miller is 5-foot-11) and he proved at Colorado State he could line up both inside and outside. With the Cowboys, though, he will likely spend most of his time outside due to Allen Hurns and Cole Beasley being best suited in the slot.
With an offense heavily focused on the run game and Ezekiel Elliot, I wonder just how much the Cowboys are going to lean on Dak Prescott. Elliot figures to be a workhorse, while the Bears offense is going to feature much more passing in 2018 than it did last year.
Here’s a fun stat for you:
Since Ezekiel Elliot entered the league, the Cowboys have finished first in rush attempts per game (2016) and fifth in rush attempts per game (2017). Elliot has averaged nearly 23 carries per game over his career.
How many carries should Elliot get this season with such a stark lack of weapons? Think about it.
This offseason, the Bears put tons of weapons around Mitch Trubisky, including Miller, and Matt Nagy will be throwing the ball a lot more than John Fox did last season.
The way it has looked in camp so far, Miller is going to see a lot of targets. The chemistry he’s developed with Trubisky is obvious. While Gallup has the opportunity for tons of targets in Dallas, I truly believe the Cowboys will be a run-first team. The offensive line is set up to run the ball down opposing teams’ throats and the Bears’ offense will likely feature a whole lot more movement and passes downfield.
So, who will have the overall better season?