Positional Analysis: WR

[AZBearsFan]

4 hours ago, WindyCity said:

I am on the fence about Landry. I see both sides of it.

I worry that my plan of Richardson and Wilson is going to leave us needing/wanting more at WR half way through the season.

Well Richardson and Wilson both had career highs this year in yards with 703 and 554, respectfully. Whether we add one or both of them we are going to be projecting future production growth in a larger role than ones they’ve ever filled at the NFL level. Both have only ever been secondary or even tertiary options on their teams. There’s inherent risk in that for sure.

Problem is, who of the potential FA has actually been a productive player as a primary receiving target? From what I see right now, only Robinson and Watkins have, and I think both are highly unlikely to actually hit FA. Landry has too, but working as a slot he’s regularly matched up NOT against the opponent’s top CB, which discounts its significance to me greatly. 

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

Perhaps it's only because I'm now entertaining the possibilty that perhaps the Bears might actually be good in the near-to-middle future, but I really feel like the upcoming free agency class sucks.  Is it me, or are the options at WR, OLB, OT incredibly thin or just plain mediocre?

 

Too bad we didn't need a bridge QB this year...

[WindyCity]

23 minutes ago, RunningVaccs said:

Perhaps it's only because I'm now entertaining the possibilty that perhaps the Bears might actually be good in the near-to-middle future, but I really feel like the upcoming free agency class sucks.  Is it me, or are the options at WR, OLB, OT incredibly thin or just plain mediocre?

 

Too bad we didn't need a bridge QB this year...

They are never great. Free agency routinely gets picked over by re-signings.

Luckily we are so bad at WR you can throw a dart at the list and it is an upgrade.

[IotaNet]

32 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

 ... Luckily we are so bad at WR you can throw a dart at the list and it is an upgrade.

I know that’s right. ?

[AZBearsFan]

1 hour ago, WindyCity said:

They are never great. Free agency routinely gets picked over by re-signings.

Especially now that the cap is rising by $10M+ every year. Way I see it we’re gonna have to add 3 guys either from FA who have been role players with growth potential or high upside draft pick(s) and hope that at least one can blossom into a go-to player, and if not then keep churning until we get that. 

With that, it can’t be overstated how this offense under Reid and then Nagy has taken unheralded guys with elite traits and had them perform beyond any reasonable expectations, both at WR and at RB. No matter what we end up with in terms of fresh blood at the position I’m legitimately excited to see what Nagy can do with them, especially with them being HIS guys and not pieces he inherited. 

[WindyCity]

25 minutes ago, AZBearsFan said:

Especially now that the cap is rising by $10M+ every year. Way I see it we’re gonna have to add 3 guys either from FA who have been role players with growth potential or high upside draft pick(s) and hope that at least one can blossom into a go-to player, and if not then keep churning until we get that. 

With that, it can’t be overstated how this offense under Reid and then Nagy has taken unheralded guys with elite traits and had them perform beyond any reasonable expectations, both at WR and at RB. No matter what we end up with in terms of fresh blood at the position I’m legitimately excited to see what Nagy can do with them, especially with them being HIS guys and not pieces he inherited. 

The problem is the KC model took 2-3 years to develop those guys into actual contributors.

Mitch needs some help this offseason.

My guess is we throw 4 guys at the spot and hope 2 can contribute early.

[Sugashane]

12 hours ago, G08 said:

It doesn't, but he will not play the Nelson Agholor/Tyreek Hill role and rip tops off defenses, plus he's going to be super expensive and he's a head case.

I dunno, I'm a die-hard so I'm sure I"ll talk myself into loving him... but right now for me it's a hard pass.

 

Dude I am completely in this situation. I don't like his attitude, penalties, or fumbling. But I love the effort he plays with, and the talent he has. Both of those are traits that we need. I won't be disappointed to see him sign elsewhere, but I'll have some genuine excitement if he signs here.

 

I'll be fine either way, personally, if we pass on him I want 2 FAs and 2 draft picks, because Meredith is an unknown health-wise, White already has surgery scheduled in October, Wright is a solid depth piece, and Wheaton is not worth keeping at his price. Gentry is a developmental PS player, but you can't rely on that. You hope he becomes Thielan and when he doesn't you take a swing with another cheap flier. So I want 4 players to be looked at as 4 year players minimum. To me that feels like the options if FA are (due to age and talent):

 

Cobb

Landry

Wilson

Richardson

 

I want any combination of 2 of them and to draft 2 WRs. Get talent around Trubisky and add what consistency you can in his developmental years. If we can keep Meredith and get these 4, then we are in an incredibly enviable position. Young franchise QB, 2 great young HBs, core of 4-5 guys that currently are 26 or less, and a TE with a lot of potential.

 

Not sure if this is all even possible, but I'm hopeful we are productive either way though.

[AZBearsFan]

38 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

The problem is the KC model took 2-3 years to develop those guys into actual contributors.

Mitch needs some help this offseason.

My guess is we throw 4 guys at the spot and hope 2 can contribute early.

Yes, but we are talking about adding guys in FA who already developed for those 2-3 years elsewhere. Those guys SHOULD contribute immediately. As should Meredith. Any draft pick will let us know when they’re ready to contribute. As long as we go in with a realistic plan that we don’t NEED immediate regular contributions from a rookie other than from a 1st rounder open to pretty much whatever. I do think that of the 4 players we add to Meredith and White that one will be either Inman or Wright though. 

[WindyCity]

10 hours ago, AZBearsFan said:

Yes, but we are talking about adding guys in FA who already developed for those 2-3 years elsewhere. Those guys SHOULD contribute immediately. As should Meredith. Any draft pick will let us know when they’re ready to contribute. As long as we go in with a realistic plan that we don’t NEED immediate regular contributions from a rookie other than from a 1st rounder open to pretty much whatever. I do think that of the 4 players we add to Meredith and White that one will be either Inman or Wright though. 

The problem with most of the free agents is that they simply do not have much of a ceiling for 2018.

Wilson would need to be more involved than he was last season for the Chiefs and they would desperately need a guy like Richardson to stay healthy and take a step. So while the free agents will be better equipped to play in 2018 it is hard to see them having the impact of a Hill.

We also need to offset the fact that Shaheen is not Kelce with more targets to the WRs.

[WindyCity]

DeFilippo said the Bears discussed re-stocking their wide receiver group to surround Trubisky, similar to what the Eagles did last offseason. They signed Alshon Jeffery — away from the Bears — and Torrey Smith during the offseason, and Carson Wentz became the presumptive NFL MVP before tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament in mid-December.

“Obviously they’re gonna get out and try to find pieces to surround Mitchell with,” DeFilippo said, “very similar to what we did with Carson Wentz this offseason.”

[WindyCity]

If they do not land Landry and if Watkins and Robinson get tagged as we expect I would like to see them throw 4 new bodies at the group and see what happens.

Albert Wilson
Paul Richardson
2nd round pick
4th round pick

From those 4 hopefully 2 step up and stay healthy.

[G08]

5 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

If they do not land Landry and if Watkins and Robinson get tagged as we expect I would like to see them throw 4 new bodies at the group and see what happens.

Albert Wilson
Paul Richardson
2nd round pick
4th round pick

From those 4 hopefully 2 step up and stay healthy.

I could see Wilson and Richardson coming as free agents.

Meredith comes back.

White is still here.

A burner somewhere in rounds 2-4.

 

That gives us 5 fairly young players.

[topwop1]

1 hour ago, G08 said:

I could see Wilson and Richardson coming as free agents.

Meredith comes back.

White is still here.

A burner somewhere in rounds 2-4.

 

That gives us 5 fairly young players.

I think this would be fine for starters.  Wilson for sure is someone they should target and bring in.

Richardson would be also be solid.  If not him then Brice Butler is another intriguing option.  Dude has great size and speed and no way Cowboys can afford to keep him along with Dez.

[51to54]

2 hours ago, WindyCity said:

The problem with most of the free agents is that they simply do not have much of a ceiling for 2018.

Wilson would need to be more involved than he was last season for the Chiefs and they would desperately need a guy like Richardson to stay healthy and take a step. So while the free agents will be better equipped to play in 2018 it is hard to see them having the impact of a Hill.

We also need to offset the fact that Shaheen is not Kelce with more targets to the WRs.

Right now, I put a  much higher value on providing Trubisky with some legit NFL WR in 2018 over providing him some high potential, but unproven and not NFL ready rookie  WR's. Let the vet WR give Trubisky targets to develop his own NFL game while the rookie takes his own pace to learn the NFL game.

We need to add some young talent to WR, but not before the first round barring a trade that brings us two low first round picks.

[chisoxguy7]

42 minutes ago, topwop1 said:

I think this would be fine for starters.  Wilson for sure is someone they should target and bring in.

Richardson would be also be solid.  If not him then Brice Butler is another intriguing option.  Dude has great size and speed and no way Cowboys can afford to keep him along with Dez.

Butler and Wilson are my 2 FAs. Richardson is said to be looking for 7-8 million a year, which I don't know I would want to pay.