Javon Wims named Chicago Bears' biggest sleeper

[soulman]

Javon Wims named Chicago Bears' biggest sleeper

 

https://bearswire.usatoday.com/2019/07/15/javon-wims-named-chicago-bears-biggest-sleeper/

By: Brendan Sugrue | 14 hours ago

 

As the Bears inch closer and closer to the start of training camp, all eyes will be on the defending NFC North Champions as they begin their quest to not only repeat as division winners but also win Super Bowl 54.

Much of the buzz is surrounding the Bears’ stars, such as QB Mitchell Trubisky, WR Allen Robinson, OLB Khalil Mack, and S Eddie Jackson. But the team has plenty of players under the radar and sleepers who may be poised to make an impact this preseason.

Last week, Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report ranked the biggest sleepers on every NFL roster going into training camp. For his Bears pick, he zeroed in on a second-year wide receiver. And it isn’t Anthony Miller.  Instead, it’s 2018’s seventh-round pick, Javon Wims.

Javon Wims led all pass-catchers in the league in receiving yards (227) through the 2018 preseason, but he saw limited action during the regular season, hauling in four catches for 32 yards in four appearances. 2018 seventh-rounder out of Georgia may push for a bigger role in the upcoming term.

Wims’ size does make him an intriguing matchup and he showed what he can bring to the team last preseason, but the crowded WR corps poses challenges for the 24-year-old.

Wims will likely be battling for the final spot in the group with free-agent signee Marvin Hall and undrafted free agent Emanuel Hall (if healthy). Robinson, Miller, Taylor Gabriel, Cordarrelle Patterson, and fourth-round pick and former college teammate Riley Ridley appear to like locks, meaning 1-2 spots will be up for grabs.

Wims caught the eye of Nagy early this offseason, earning a spot on the starting offense in offseason workouts this spring, so he appears to have the inside track going into camp.

[AZBearsFan]

If Wims is a sleeper he’s a DEEP sleeper. Outside of attrition Wims is probably more likely than not to be a week-to-week inactive than he is a breakout player this year. He’s going to have to outperform Ridley (a guy believed a “steal” for round 4 by most and who also drew high praise in the offseason program) or show a knack for ST he didn’t show in 2018 that makes Marvin Hall expendable to see the active list and maybe to make the team at all. Our top 3 in some order are almost surely already set: Robinson is a #1 WR, Gabriel was our most consistent WR last year week 1-17 and Miller flashed special upside playing mostly on 1 arm all of 2018. 

[soulman]

So far I like his chances of making the roster.  We'll see how it all shakes our during preseason.

[dll2000]

 

8 hours ago, AZBearsFan said:

If Wims is a sleeper he’s a DEEP sleeper. Outside of attrition Wims is probably more likely than not to be a week-to-week inactive than he is a breakout player this year. He’s going to have to outperform Ridley (a guy believed a “steal” for round 4 by most and who also drew high praise in the offseason program) or show a knack for ST he didn’t show in 2018 that makes Marvin Hall expendable to see the active list and maybe to make the team at all. Our top 3 in some order are almost surely already set: Robinson is a #1 WR, Gabriel was our most consistent WR last year week 1-17 and Miller flashed special upside playing mostly on 1 arm all of 2018. 

I think it would take an injury to Allen Robinson for him to get significant opportunities.  I don't think they like him on inside and Miller and Ridley are more versatile.  He is probably 5th man up as it stands today. 

I do find it interesting that when Wims and Ridley played on same team Wims was the go to guy and out performed him on the field, yet everyone assumes Ridley is the better player.  I'll reserve judgment for now.  A lot of smart people think so.  Ridley can play inside our out, and Wims apparently can't so there is that. 

I'll also point out that this guy has performed well in every preseason game and at MN in reg season.   All he can do is play well when given opportunity and he has done that to date.

Maybe if he really shines in preseason again there will be some real discussion on in season reps. 

Like @soulmanI think he makes the team.  We may not have best receiving corp., but we sure are deep.  

[Sugashane]

I really wish they would just bulk him up 10-20 lbs and get him acclimated to be a WR/TE hybrid. Even if ARob goes down his reps would still be limited at WR, but there is little proven depth at TE. Shaheen may have an injury bug, Burton is a good player but he disappeared for a lot of time over the 2nd half of the season, Sowell is an OL, and then the Braunecker/Raymond duo is still young but completely unproven. I like Wims and think he can be a solid role player for years, and I am not sure a TE on the roster is a long-term option yet. Plus with Gabriel's time likely coming to an end and and ARob's situation in the air we could really use young talent to have integrated in the system Nagy is running.

[dll2000]

1 hour ago, Sugashane said:

I really wish they would just bulk him up 10-20 lbs and get him acclimated to be a WR/TE hybrid. Even if ARob goes down his reps would still be limited at WR, but there is little proven depth at TE. Shaheen may have an injury bug, Burton is a good player but he disappeared for a lot of time over the 2nd half of the season, Sowell is an OL, and then the Braunecker/Raymond duo is still young but completely unproven. I like Wims and think he can be a solid role player for years, and I am not sure a TE on the roster is a long-term option yet. Plus with Gabriel's time likely coming to an end and and ARob's situation in the air we could really use young talent to have integrated in the system Nagy is running.

He may not want to do that.  Changing positions is a gamble for him and to date it looks like he can play WR in NFL for someone if not for the Bears.  It's different for fringe veterans like Sowell and McMannis trying to make a team.

If I am him I keep working and if it doesn't work out with Bears someone else will pick me up at end of my contract as long as I keep playing well in pre season.

 

[soulman]

6 hours ago, dll2000 said:

I'll also point out that this guy has performed well in every preseason game and at MN in reg season.   All he can do is play well when given opportunity and he has done that to date.

Maybe if he really shines in preseason again there will be some real discussion on in season reps. 

Like @soulmanI think he makes the team.  We may not have best receiving corp., but we sure are deep. 

That's been my observation as well and when you couple that with Nagy's praise of him it gives him a strong resume heading into camp.

The way Nagy's schemes spread the ball around it's unlikely anyone will catch 100 passes but what I like is the thinking that we could put any of six WRs on the field and have little fall off in performance.  Few team have that same depth at such a key position.

[Sugashane]

5 hours ago, dll2000 said:

He may not want to do that.  Changing positions is a gamble for him and to date it looks like he can play WR in NFL for someone if not for the Bears.  It's different for fringe veterans like Sowell and McMannis trying to make a team.

If I am him I keep working and if it doesn't work out with Bears someone else will pick me up at end of my contract as long as I keep playing well in pre season.

 

Valid point but I'll play devil's advocate. 

 

He may not want to but it wouldn't be a move to a traditional TE anyway. Like Burton he would be a slot WR who gets moved around and occasionally crack down blocks. Pretty much Fitz, BMarsh, or Colston-like. I don't believe that would hinder his ability to negotiate. If anything it gets him on the field and increases his demand. He can demand to be a full time WR in FA if he chooses. 

 

He would be up and moving more, and in his interest the added bulk would help him against press coverage too. That leads to him fitting the mold of an X as well. Plus practice reps are great, but still make in comparison to gameday reps on a per rep basis IMO. 

 

[AZBearsFan]

14 hours ago, dll2000 said:

I'll also point out that this guy has performed well in every preseason game and at MN in reg season. 

Preseason reps were almost exclusively against guys auditioning for the XFL and 4-32-0 against MIN who happened to have Xavier Rhodes inactive that week isn’t exactly blowing up my skirt. 

 

8 hours ago, dll2000 said:

He may not want to do that.  Changing positions is a gamble for him and to date it looks like he can play WR in NFL for someone if not for the Bears.  It's different for fringe veterans like Sowell and McMannis trying to make a team.

If I am him I keep working and if it doesn't work out with Bears someone else will pick me up at end of my contract as long as I keep playing well in pre season.

And if I’m him I’m taking absolutely any opportunity I can to get on the field. Wims May be shorter on tenure than McManis and Sowell but he’s definitely a fringe roster player right now. WR5/6 may be one injury from being active on game day I’m some capacity, but it’s also one preseason injury from maybe being right out of the league. The path to game reps as a move TE is seemingly shorter on our roster than it is at WR, and the position has become a big part of where NFL offense has gone. Modern NFL offense is all about creating matchups, and that position is a big part of that especially in Nagy’s offense. 

The end of Wims’ contract is 3 years away - 7th round picks who don’t excel on ST and don’t get significant reps on offense after 4 years don’t get 2nd NFL contracts, and often times don’t make the end of their first one. 

[soulman]

Before anyone decides Wims should bulk up and move to a Move TE spot it would be nice to see what we have has far as TE now.

Burton and Shaheen are locks and I'm fairly comfortable with a slimmed down Sowell moving to his spot as a blocker.

Behind them we have Braunecker who I believe can be better than he's been able to show so far and rookies Bunting and Raymond who've also played TE for at least 3 years in college and have gotten some compliments during OTAs.

In all likelihood Wims will back ARob at the "X" spot.  He has the size to more adequately replace him if needed.  At least for now I feel Wims should be given a shot at earning a spot on the roster as a WR.  I'm not willing to say now that Ridley or Gabriel are necessarily any more valuable in the mix than Wims.  Through camp and preseason we'll find out.

All we can say now is exactly what dll2000 posted.  He's made the most of every shot he's been given without fail.

[WindyCity]

Unless there is an injury he is pretty much blocked from serious playing time.

Bigger sleepers

Deon Bush, I don’t think he lays down in the SS comp.

Dax Raymond, that #2 TE job is ripe for the picking.

Duke Shelley, how quickly can he take Skrine’s job.

[AZBearsFan]

3 hours ago, WindyCity said:

Unless there is an injury he is pretty much blocked from serious playing time.

Bigger sleepers

Deon Bush, I don’t think he lays down in the SS comp.

Dax Raymond, that #2 TE job is ripe for the picking.

Duke Shelley, how quickly can he take Skrine’s job.

At least Wims has shown some ability in an NFL setting at this point (though I’m nowhere near as high on what he’s done as some of you guys). Raymond wasn’t good enough to get drafted in a league where everyone’s value on the position he plays and the skill set he brings to it is at an all-time high. Until he shows that to be a mistake by 32 teams he’s this year’s Tanner Gentry to me.

I don’t see him as a viable candidate to take Shaheen’s reps because I don’t think he can block. I think his 2019 ceiling is to make Braunecker expendable in camp and make his way into the backup move TE role. That, by the way, isn’t even a role that would guarantee him to be active on game days. 

Thank God TC finally starts next week and we can finally get to evaluating what’s happening vs. speculating about what might happen. 

[soulman]

6 hours ago, WindyCity said:

Unless there is an injury he is pretty much blocked from serious playing time.

Bigger sleepers

Deon Bush, I don’t think he lays down in the SS comp.

Dax Raymond, that #2 TE job is ripe for the picking.

Duke Shelley, how quickly can he take Skrine’s job.

I'd agree about Wims but I do expect to see him again in preseason and evaluate where he's at.  Is he better or can he be better or has he plateaued and if so where does that place him in the WR mix?  If he's still ascending over a 16 game season he may get more shots than we realize.

Deon Bush:  It's good that Pace brought HHC-D in to play SS and let Bush know the job wasn't automatically his.  If that doesn't push his game up a tier or two he's gonna be gone by 2020 or he becomes a career ST guy and backup.  A younger McManis.

Dax Raymond:  Nice name.  Could be a movie star if football doesn't pay off.  We could use a backup to Burton in the form on a smaller quicker TE.  Or would Nagy prefer a bigger Kelce sized guy?  Braunecker won't lay down either and he plays ST well.

Duke Shelley: Gonna be one of the more interesting guys to watch ascend.  Skrine is not all that bad as a Slot CB and he has a huge edge in experience.  It may also depend on how often Skine gets flagged for holding or PI.

[dll2000]

8 hours ago, AZBearsFan said:

At least Wims has shown some ability in an NFL setting at this point (though I’m nowhere near as high on what he’s done as some of you guys). Raymond wasn’t good enough to get drafted in a league where everyone’s value on the position he plays and the skill set he brings to it is at an all-time high. Until he shows that to be a mistake by 32 teams he’s this year’s Tanner Gentry to me.

I don’t see him as a viable candidate to take Shaheen’s reps because I don’t think he can block. I think his 2019 ceiling is to make Braunecker expendable in camp and make his way into the backup move TE role. That, by the way, isn’t even a role that would guarantee him to be active on game days. 

Thank God TC finally starts next week and we can finally get to evaluating what’s happening vs. speculating about what might happen. 

Only thing I say about Wims is he makes most of his opportunities which is all you can do.  Gentry did that in practice (reportedly), but didn't do it in games.  Wims has done it in both.   I don't think he is as good as turbo, robinson or miller or deserves to play over them.  He is nice depth.  I will say he may be our 4th best WR in 2019.

Raymond has real good hands and is smooth runner, but isnt a great athlete and is a poor blocker.  No one to play like Burton when he went down was kind of an issue so he may find some utility.  Why some would like Wims to try that role. 

My offensive sleeper is injury prone Shaheen, I think a healthy Shaheen will surprise some folks.  But I am basing this off ancillary evidence pieced together and not things I have personally seen as I was not at pratices last year or this offseason. (Obviously). But I trust Nagy's eye.  

I have said since draft Shelley is my defensive sleeper, I didn't use that phrase but I was high on his tape.  Many are becoming awake to him faster than I thought would happen.  I thought it would happen a week or two into training camp.  I wonder how much Skrine's contract will factor in this competition.

I think Bush could start and play SS and play well.  I don't think you say that before 2018.  I liked him in draft and then thought he may have been a bust.  He turned it around.  I was fine with him replacing Amos. That being said I don't think he has any chance of starting over Dix or Jackson if they are healthy.  I think Dix walks after this season and Bush steps in at a large discount from what he would have got if he was  2019 starter allowing Bears to make Jackson highest paid safety in game. 

@WindyCity @soulman

[AZBearsFan]

16 hours ago, dll2000 said:

My offensive sleeper is injury prone Shaheen, I think a healthy Shaheen will surprise some folks.  But I am basing this off ancillary evidence pieced together and not things I have personally seen as I was not at pratices last year or this offseason. (Obviously). But I trust Nagy's eye.

I’m with you on this. Shaheen’s most valuable attribute is his athleticism for his size, and he was robbed of a lot of that with the nature of the injury he suffered in the preseason. He’s supposedly down a bit of weight from last year and is fully healthy now. If he’s able to stay out of the tub (fingers crossed) I think he’s going to have a sizable role because at full speed he’s a big matchup problem. If he can’t stay out of the tub then we have better insulated ourselves than last year in terms of viable other options for his various roles. There was discussion earlier in this thread about Wims having the potential to make Robinson expendable. What I’d like to see is Shaheen take that next step that makes Burton expendable.