Bears 2022 Wide Receiver Watch

[soulman]

Bears 2022 Wide Receiver Watch

Originally posted on FanNation Bear Digest
By Gene Chamberlain  |  Last updated 11/13/21

https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/bears_2022_wide_receiver_watch/s1_16634_36421985?utm_source=mb&utm_medium=email&mb_edition=20211113&mb_loc=right_h

 

It's impossible to pinpoint Bears receiver needs for 2022 at this date.

Make no mistake, though. They will need multiple receivers whether or not Allen Robinson returns. It's a simple matter of math.

It's impossible to say whether a new contract will come Robinson's way after his production has declined with Justin Fields at quarterback this year. The Bears could decide to go with a younger player in the draft or find someone else in free agency.

Past tag situations offer no definitive data on this, only that no receiver has played a second year on a tag. Chris Godwin and Robinson are two of the 10, and among the other eight three left their team the next year in free agency, four got new contracts and one got traded.

Too many times it's easy to be caught up in offensive styles and player fits for the scheme.

Because it's so far removed from the draft and because the Bears are so short on receivers for 2022, they'll be looking into the draft for various types of receivers and it won't matter whether Matt Nagy's offense is still the one in use or a new coach is in play. That's because they currently have only Darnell Mooney under contract for next year among all of their receivers.

If a guy can catch it, the Bears will be looking at him.

Keeping this in mind, here are three receivers to keep an eye on well in advance for a team that lacks a first-round pick.

In other words, think second- or third-round receivers or late-round steals and not those two Ohio State receivers who Justin Fields knows well, Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. FanNation's NFL Draft Bible has it's early rankings board out and both Buckeyes are in the top 25 overall.

There are no wide receivers rated in the top 10 prospects but six of the next 15 prospects are wide receivers.

So if those hold true, the Bears would not get a sniff of the top six receivers.

This has to be taken with a grain of salt because skill players so often receive more of the early consideration in rankings, until the Senior Bowl and combine workouts give scouts a better look at linemen and defenders. Then receivers tend to be dispersed throughout the early rounds more, so it's possible they could get a chance at a top six receiver somewhere in Round 2.

Romeo Doubs, Nevada

A starting X-receiver, Doubs is 6-foot-2, 201 pounds, a bit taller than Davante Adams and a little lighter. Doubs is labeled by Alex Jensen of NFL Draft Bible as "...the definition of a true vertical threat."

A receiver like this would fit well with the big arm of Fields, and NFL Draft Bible labels him the 79th best player in the draft which would place him in the middle of the third round.

"Doubs thinks like a safety and will tailor his routes to create 1V1 opportunities for himself and force safeties to commit early," Jensen wrote. "On vertical routes, Doubs shows the ability to high point with a wide catch radius. His ability to take a top off of a defense opens up the underneath stuff for other receivers. A 4.45-4.50 runner whose speed plays up after 20 yards. Should draw plenty of flags once he gets going."

NFL Draft Bible's Zach Dietz is a little less sold on Doubs than Jensen

"Despite the aforementioned route running improvements, he still needs a ton of work in that department," Dietz said. "His route tree is very miniscule and lacks refinement in the intermediate area of the field."

Dietz adds Doubs is more "...of a body catcher than hands catcher," although he says Doubs makes this work. Dietz did conclude with a positive overall opinion.

"A size + speed freak with fantastic production, Doubs has a chance to be one the biggest risers at the WR position in 2021," he wrote.

 

Justyn Ross, Clemson

The is a major red flag with the Tigers' receiver, who is ranked a late second-rounder by NFL Draft Bible. He has pedigree but the warning could scare off a team like the Bears, who have had problems with injured draft picks.

The 6-3, 205-pounder is said by Lorenz Leinweber of NFL Draft Bible to be excellent at coming back for catches from scrambling quarterbacks. This is something the Bears receivers need to learn with Fields.

"A pure hands catcher, he is able to pluck it away from his frame," Leinweber wrote, adding that Ross is a receiver excellent at going high for the jump ball as a result of his hands and height.

"Lacks deep speed and burst to threaten vertically on a consistent basis," Leinweber added. "When coming out of his breaks, he is not quick enough to maintain separation as defenders catch up."

The red flag is Ross missed last season while coming off surgery to correct two fused vertebrae and a bulging disc resulting from a congenital problem.

It was corrected This could work out fine, but the Bears could be overly cautious.

Ross had 112 receptions for 1,865 yards and 17 touchdowns in 29 games for 2018 and 2019 and since returning this season for nine games his statistics have declined significantly to 44 receptions and 484 yards with three TDs in nine games.

Zay Flowers, Boston College

He's built much like Darnell Mooney at 5-11, 178 pounds and shows great speed and stop-start ability, according to NFL Draft Bible's Cory McCann Ezring.

"Flowers has consistently exhibited impressive over-the-shoulder ball tracking and has even shown an extra gear when tracking the ball deep," Ezring said.

The Bears have been looking for their version of Kansas City's Mecole Hardman or Arizona's Rondale Moore, a quick, small receiver who is a burner and can run the ball on end arounds or jet sweeps. The Bears could use this to take advantage of a quarterback whose speed can scare the defense going in the opposite direciton. They had someone like this and can't be certain he'll be back at this point, and that's Tarik Cohen, but can use another.

"Flowers’ best trait is his ability after the catch," Ezring said. "He is extremely elusive and has a knack for timing his cuts. He uses head fakes, body language and jab steps to improve his ability to make defenders miss."

Ezring did point out Flowers needs to improve as a route runner. This is true, however, of most college receivers.

The Bears were fortunate when they got Mooney in Round 5 in 2020 because he has speed, good hands and route-running ability.

They could use a few more players like this whether they sign Robinson or not.

Twitter: BearDigest@onFanNation

Edited November 13, 2021 by soulman

[soulman]

Lord knows how much I hate talking about the draft 6 months before it takes place but it is bye week and it's also pretty obvious we'll be in the market for pass receivers so we may as well talk about a bit.  The trouble is I don't know if any of these guys are truly a fit at all.

Looking at things realistically with no 1st round pick we have zero shots at a top college WR period.  We also have no 4th round pick so either we spend a 2nd or 3rd round pick on a WR when we really should be looking at other positions at those spots or we hope to catch lightning in a bottle again in round 5 or 6 like we did with Mooney.

So who are some of the UFA prospects we might lure here to pair with Fields and what are the chances that ARob might actually return?

[Madmike90]

Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson & Noah Brown...all with Kellen Moore of course 😂

[beardown3231]

Ross is hurt so much. He got hurt again today.

Doubs would be fine. Metchie may fall. I'd rather them go after Godwin, Patrick or Sutton and take my chances with Doubs, Demus or Dotson in the 3rd + even an athletic raw toolsy guy late like Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Virgil or Dareke Young

[Epyon]

Of those 3 I'll take Flowers.... Doubs looks slow in that clip, and I don't respect Nevada enough as a program to take someone who doesn't look positively electric at that level.

That and I've already had my eye on flowers for a month or so now since I started looking for potential rnd 2-3 guys myself.

My current hope is that Tyler Linderbaum-C-Iowa slides to us in the 2nd, and we can snag flowers in the 3rd.

 

That said, I think Flowers is going to be a similar guy to Mooney, and we'll have to get a FA to come in as the "#1"

[Sugashane]

Ross' durability is a concern but if he drops I would find it hard to pass him up. He's a serious playmaker. Doubs looks good from the little I have seen of him but if he tests well he may go before we even have a shot. I'll keep an eye on Flowers, I really don't know much about him.

[soulman]

I'll toss in my two cents.

IF we do not or cannot bring ARob back IMHO we're gonna need at least two big body possession type WRs much like we had with Marshall and AJ who can high point the ball and make back shoulder catches as they could and as ARob is also very good at doing.  Speed is great but this isn't the mid '90s and you need more than two or three 180lb "Smurfs" out there as target for Fields.

I'd focus on that for starters either in FA or the draft but I'm not convinced we'd find that kind of help beyond the 2nd round of the draft as far as anyone who might be able to start next season.  So if not ARob then we'll need to be major players for one in FA and if we can sign one with better speed than ARob all the better but let's not leave Fields without some bigger targets.

Mooney is rounding out nicely.  He's got speed, great hands, and for his size he's a tough kid yet still not tough enough IMHO to be a guy you can send over the middle against hard hitting Safeties and LBs and expect him to last long.  Goodwin probably shows enough to be brought back cheap on another one year deal as well so if we can add another in the draft we should be OK.

We've also got some guys on the PS and there will be other UDFA type who will have a shot at breaking through to the final roster.

[Madmike90]

Really difficult to figure out what kind of receivers we need when we don't know what the scheme will call for...one thing that links the like of Moore, Daboll & even O'Connell is they all need excellent route runners above all else...both Ohio State guys are elite route runners and the connection with Fields would make them easy picks should they fall into the 2nd because of their lack of size...John Metchie III might be more realistic...Jaivon Heiligh is a guy that really intrigues me...seems to create a ton of separation...

Bigger guys I like Jalen Tolbert but I'm not sold on his physicality...Erik Ezukanma is a poor man's Burks...very physical without having top end speed...Xavier Hutchinson is a really well rounded player...

Jameson Williams & Chris Autman-Bell as two completely different deep threats...Williams with pure speed...Autman-Bell due to his physicality at the top of his routes...

If we want more under neath run after the catch types then Jahan Dotson, Zay Flowers & Wan'Dale Robinson are all guys who can be electric with ball in hand.

[Heinz D.]

On 11/13/2021 at 11:42 AM, soulman said:

Looking at things realistically with no 1st round pick we have zero shots at a top college WR period.  

The next draft is supposed to be deep at receiver, though. So...maybe not a sure fire guy available, but potentially a good one. 

I haven't done a deep dive on that assertion, by the way. Just going off stuff scout type folks have stated in articles. I'd imagine it's on the money, though. 

21 hours ago, soulman said:

Mooney is rounding out nicely.  He's got speed, great hands, and for his size he's a tough kid yet still not tough enough IMHO to be a guy you can send over the middle against hard hitting Safeties and LBs and expect him to last long.  

Those big hits over the middle really don't happen much any more. They've kind of been forced out of the game. 

[soulman]

1 hour ago, Heinz D. said:

Those big hits over the middle really don't happen much any more. They've kind of been forced out of the game. 

The very first time he's gets injured and misses significant time I'm gonna remind you that you said this.

And if it never happens then you can remind me......LOL.  😁

[Heinz D.]

Just now, soulman said:

The very first time he's gets injured and misses significant time I'm gonna remind you that you said this.

And if it never happens then you can remind me......LOL.  😁

Well, you were sort of implying that it's no man's land out there across the middle...and that sort of consistent mauling of receivers has been legislated out of the game.

But sure, he could still get hurt. No doubt about that. 

[soulman]

1 minute ago, Heinz D. said:

Well, you were sort of implying that it's no man's land out there across the middle...and that sort of consistent mauling of receivers has been legislated out of the game.

But sure, he could still get hurt. No doubt about that. 

All that's changed is that you can no longer level a defenseless receiver.  It didn't eliminate hard hit completely.  Best to keep him on the edge.

[beardown3231]

There goes the Patrick idea

[soulman]

I have to wonder why we haven't seen hide nor hair of Rodney Adams this year.  There's another guy Fields developed some nice rapport with.

[Madmike90]

8 minutes ago, beardown3231 said:

There goes the Patrick idea

Good player but that is a lot of money to invest when you have Juedy & Hamler in the wings...looks like Courtland Sutton will be a FA.