This is our online morning newsletter, Bear Necessities. Subscribe to get the latest Bears news delivered to your mailbox every day.
When the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers face off on Sunday, it’ll be a battle between two Mooneys: Bears receiver Darnell Mooney and 49ers cornerback Charvarius “Mooney” Ward.
“Mooney on Mooney, who you’ve got? Take the real Mooney, ‘Big Mooney,'” Ward said with a laugh Monday, via The Mercury News. “It’s going to be fun. I haven’t played against him yet.”
Not many are familiar with Chicago’s Mooney, even despite his first 1,000-yard season in 2021. But that could surely change this season as Mooney is thrust into the spotlight as the Bears’ WR1 following the departure of Allen Robinson in free agency.
With the WR1 label comes the extra attention from opposing defenses, and Mooney is ready should Ward shadow him during Sunday’s opener. In fact, he embraces the challenge.
“I love that,” he said, via Nicholas Moreano. “Obviously when you have one-on-one battles throughout the whole game and you’re not winning most of the time and you’re a DB, that will get to your head.”
With Ward being San Francisco’s shutdown corner, he understands that he’s going to see plenty of Mooney come Sunday afternoon. And there’s plenty to contend with.
“He’s versatile and they move him around a lot,” Ward said of Mooney. “He’s a good route runner. He’s a complete receiver. He’s been growing as a players since he’s been in the league and I look forward to the competition.”
- Bears QB Justin Fields is glad the 49ers passed on him for Trey Lance
- Darnell Mooney is ready for Bears offense to open things up after vanilla preseason
- Bears announce 2022 team captains
- 7 things to know heading into Bears-49ers in Week 1
- Announcers set for Bears vs. 49ers Week 1 opener
- NFC North power rankings heading into Week 1
- Week 1 Power Rankings: Bears among bottom of NFL heading into 2022 season
- WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette ready to make impact with Bears
- Za’Darius Smith’s departure from Packers motivated move to Vikings. READ MORE ON PACKERS WIRE.
- One GMFB host thinks the Vikings win the NFC North. READ MORE ON VIKINGS WIRE.
- Dan Campbell: ‘We’ll be fine’ without injured RG Halapoulivaati Vaitai. READ MORE ON LIONS WIRE.