The Chicago Bears are coming off a disappointing 2019 season that was worse than their 8-8 record indicated. With several significant injuries on defense and one of the worst offenses, the Bears didn’t live up to the hype coming off an impressive 2018 season.
But in order to rebound, they’re going to need some players to step it up. Whether that’s players you’d expect it from and those that might surprise.
Bleacher Report believes second-year receiver Riley Ridley could be one of those guys. They have him pegged as the Bears’ biggest sleeper to watch heading into training camp.
Take Riley Ridley, who barely saw the field as a rookie fourth-round pick in 2019 but caught three of the four passes thrown his way for 54 yards in the team’s regular-season finale. It was a good sign for the Georgia product that Chicago again didn’t spend a high draft pick on a receiver and an even better sign when wide receivers coach Mike Furrey pumped up Ridley’s tires last month.
Ginn and Cordarrelle Patterson are more accomplished, but Ridley’s got the route-running ability and the pass-catching skills to beat them out for regular outside reps this summer and fall.
The fourth-round pick out of Georgia didn’t see much playing time during his rookie year, as he was a healthy scratch for the first 11 games. Ridley played in five games, where he tallied six catches for 69 yards.
Bears receivers coach Mike Furrey raved about Ridley earlier this offseason, saying that he expects the second-year wideout to impress in 2020.
“The biggest growth we’re going to see with anybody in our room is going to be Riley Ridley,” Furrey told reporters. “His preparation right now, his attitude, his desire, the passion he has to become successful in this game, he loves the process. And I believe when you love the process, it’s going to be successful.”
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