How the Chicago Bears wide receivers stack up in NFC North
By Todd Welter
Here is how the Chicago Bears wide receivers compare to the Detroit Lions.
The Detroit Lions depth chart right now features Amon-Ra St. Brown, DJ Chark Jr, and rookie Jameson Williams as the starters. Josh Reynolds, Quintez Cephus, Kalif Raymond, Tom Kennedy, and Trinity Benson all have caught passes in the NFL that are vying for roster spots.
Williams is coming off a knee injury that may sideline him to start the 2022 season. Chark Jr only played in three games last season. He had a great second year in Jacksonville with 73 catches for 1008 yards and eight touchdowns. The last two seasons he has just 60 catches for 860 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Lions will go into 2022 with a wide receiver group that produced 205 receptions for 2399 yards and 15 touchdowns during the 2021 NFL season.
Detroit has the overall better production but its slated top-three wide receivers on the depth chart combined 2021 NFL stats are 97 catches for 1066 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Bears top-three wide receivers (Mooney, Pringle, and St. Brown) on the current depth chart produced 132 catches for 1721 yards and nine scores in 2021.
Although, the Bears probably want Equanimeous to put up the same numbers his brother Amon-Ra did.
Williams has big-play ability and Chark Jr could still realize his potential. The Lions’ wide receivers, much like the Bears, are not currently keeping opposing defensive coordinators up at night.
Here is how the Bears wide receivers stack up with the Green Bay Packers’ ariel assault.
The Green Bay Packers still have the reigning NFL MVP in quarterback Aaron Rodgers. What they do not have anymore is star receiver Davante Adams who was traded away to the Las Vegas Raiders in the offseason.
The leaves the Packers starting depth chart currently at Allen Lazard, Sammy Watkins, and either Randall Cobb or rookie Christian Watson. Put your money on Cobb starting over Watson based on Rodgers’ relationship with Cobb and the long time it takes Rodgers to trust a rookie receiver.
The Packers also drafted Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure. Doubs and Christian Watson have great speed and size but have some development ahead.
Amari Rodgers, Juwann Winfree, and Malik Taylor are the other returning receivers to have caught a pass in the green and gold.
The Packers wide receivers enter 2022 with 109 catches for 1399 yards and 14 touchdowns from the 2021 season.
Your friendly reminder that Darnell Mooney would be the Packers' WR1. Byron Pringle would start in Green Bay, too. Analysts have had their fun ripping the #Bears WRs, but now that we're inching closer to training camp, we can start focusing on what actually happens on the field.
— Bryan Perez (@BryanPerezNFL) May 29, 2022
Using the 2021 stats, the Packers wide receiver group is only better than the Bears collection in touchdowns and potential. Green Bay also a four-time MVP quarterback throwing them the ball.
It bears repeating, Aaron Rodgers takes a while to develop chemistry with rookies. That means it may take some time before that potential is realized.
Remember, Packers’ fans before you blow up about this, your team has been given credit for potential (Watson and Doubs) and Aaron Rodgers throwing the football.
The Bears’ wide receivers fall short of the Minnesota Vikings’ top 3 wide receivers.
The Vikings boast Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and K.J. Osborn as their top-three wide receivers.
Jefferson’s 2021 season alone was better than the Bears’ top-three wide receivers. Although, the Vikings’ depth behind their top three receivers is thin.
Still, the Vikings have the starting wide receivers Bears’ fan dream about. Minnesota has a legit top-10 pass catcher and two reliable WR2 and WR3. Now if there is an injury to Jefferson and Thielen, the Vikings are in trouble.