Tag: Bears receivers

Bears pass catchers are way behind the rest of the NFL through 3 games

The Bears are the only team in the NFL that doesn’t have a player with more than 100 receiving yards for the year.

The word has already been out regarding the Chicago Bears and their dismal passing numbers through three games of the 2022 NFL season. Despite the Bears being 2-1 following their 23-20 victory over the Houston Texans, the overarching story continues to be the lack of passing in each one of their games.

Much of the conversation has centered around quarterback Justin Fields and his struggles in the pocket. No matter what stat or category you choose, he’s had historically low passing numbers through three games. But what isn’t being talked about are the dismal numbers of the Bears pass catchers.

When a passing offense isn’t working, the low numbers aren’t limited to the quarterback. None of the Bears receivers have truly stood out yet and the numbers back it up. Through three games of the NFL season, every single team has at least one player who has accumulated 100 receiving yards or more, except the Bears.

In fact, every other team minus the Carolina Panthers have two players hit that total for the year already. The Bears leading receiver, meanwhile, is Equanimeous St. Brown with 77 yards. That’s tied with five other players for 110th place in the league at this point in the season. The next closest player for the Bears is Dante Pettis, who still has just one catch for 51 yards from the broken touchdown play in the opening game against the San Francisco 49ers.

What’s even worse? Every other team had a player reach 100 receiving yards after just two games this season. The Bears are entering their fourth game during the first weekend of October and still have yet to reach that number with any of their players.

It was evident early on that this receiving corps wasn’t going to be great this year, but it’s surprising to see even players like Darnell Mooney and Cole Kmet fail to reach triple digits at this point. Of course it’s difficult to get yards when passing opportunities become limited as the Bears have yet to attempt more than 18 passes in a game.

Still, getting chunk receiving plays has been a struggle to say the least and it’s showing both on tape and in the stat sheet. Here’s hoping someone can step up next week and break free of this drought.

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Bears WRs vote Anthony Miller as ‘most likely to be late to practice’

During Allen Robinson’s “A Night Within Reach” charity gala event, Bears WRs voted Anthony Miller most likely to be late to practice.

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Remember back in high school when students would vote on superlatives, such as “most likely to succeed” or “most likely to become a pro athlete?” Well, the Chicago Bears wide receivers played a similar game on Monday evening and it wasn’t good for Anthony Miller.

During Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson’s “A Night Within Reach”, his charity gala event, he was joined by many of his fellow receivers. Miller, Javon Wims, Riley Ridley and Darnell Mooney were all in attendance, as well as practice squad members Rodney Adams and Reggie Davis.

The group was asked a number of fun questions, such as who has better hands than Robinson, what was everyone doing during quarantine, etc. But the first question began with who they thought would be the player most likely to be late for practice in a hypothetical situation. The guys unanimously voted for Miller.

Now, this was said in jest with everyone laughing, but considering Miller’s struggles dating back to last season, this anecdote may not sit well with some.

Miller, now in his third season after being drafted by the Bears in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, has been wildly inconsistent when on the field. He’s shown the potential to be a bondafide weapon, but has also disappeared for games, whether he’s had drops or hasn’t focused on the details enough. Monday’s joke may have unintentionally shed some light on his preparation and how his teammates view his approach.

Could this simply be nothing more than a friendly jab at a teammate? Absolutely. Robinson himself has gone out of his way to praise Miller, even just a few weeks ago and he was one of the first to pile on.

But as the old saying goes, there’s always a little truth being “just kidding.” Hopefully soon, however, Miller can be known as “most likely to be a game-changing wide receiver.”

WATCH: Highlights from Anthony Miller and Mitchell Trubisky’s latest workout

Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky and WR Anthony Miller continue their offseason workouts together ahead of training camp.

This offseason has been unlike any that NFL players have experienced. With an entirely virtual offseason, players will have to wait until training camp later this month to finally reunite on the practice field.

But Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky has been organizing offseason workouts with some of his teammates in the Chicago area. Guys like receiver Allen Robinson, running backs David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen, as well as tight ends Cole Kmet and Demetrius Harris.

Most recently, Trubisky has been working with third-year receiver Anthony Miller, who is coming off his second straight shoulder surgery in as many seasons. Miller’s recovery has forced him to take things easy, but he appears good to go just in time for training camp.

Miller shared another video of him and Trubisky working on routes and continuing to build that trust with each other, and they both look ready to go.

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The Bears are slated to report to training camp on July 28, where Trubisky will battle Nick Foles for the starting quarterback job. And it’s certainly helped that, in a shortened offseason, that Trubisky has been putting some work in with his skill position players.

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LaDainian Tomlinson thinks Allen Robinson needs to be more consistent

The Bears offense was one of the worst in the entire NFL, which was due to a number of reasons. But WR Allen Robinson wasn’t one of them.

There wasn’t much to love about the Chicago Bears offense last season. The unit was one of the worst in the entire NFL, which was due to a number of reasons.

But receiver Allen Robinson wasn’t one of them. In fact, he was one of the lone bright spots on offense, where he was able to thrive despite the struggles around him. Robinson had a career-high 98 receptions for 1,147 yards and seven scores in 2019. That in itself would be impressive. But given the inconsistent play at quarterback and a non-existent run game, it’s all the more impressive.

Which is why it’s shocking that anyone would consider Robinson’s performance inconsistent.

When asked about the Bears’ biggest concern heading into 2020, Hall of Fame running back and NFL Network analyst LaDainian Tomlinson believes that the wide receiver group is the biggest question mark. Which is certainly debatable.

But it’s what Tomlinson said about Robinson — who singlehandedly kept the Bears offense from being the worst in the league — that caught us by surprise. Tomlinson believes that Robinson needs to be more consistent, which is just ridiculous.

“In defense of Mitchell Trubisky, I don’t think (the receivers) did him any justice and what they put around him throughout his career,” Tomlinson said on NFL Total Access. “Allen Robinson had a bounce-back career from last year, where he had over 1,000 yards. So he needs to be a little more consistent.”

When looking at Robinson’s two years in Chicago, he’s been the epitome of consistency. Sure, he didn’t have a 1,000-yard season in his first year. But that was more about distributing the ball around to different weapons than Robinson’s ineffectiveness. Not to mention, he was coming off a torn ACL, and he wasn’t at 100 percent.

In Tomlinson’s defense, he did say that it’s on other receivers to step up to take the pressure off Robinson.

“He needs to have other guys like Anthony Miller and guys like that to step up,” Tomlinson said.

Still, Robinson is the least of Chicago’s worries. The only worry with Robinson comes with locking him up to a contract extension, as he’s entering the last year of his three-year deal with the Bears.

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Should the Bears look into signing WR Antonio Brown?

WR Antonio Brown is still on the open market, and perhaps the Bears should consider looking into signing the veteran.

We haven’t heard much of Antonio Brown lately. The last time we saw him on the field was when he was on the New England Patriots in Week 2, where he recorded four receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins.

Since then he was cut by the Patriots due to further allegations of sexual and personal misconduct levied against Brown, then he was arrested and charged with felony burglary and battery. There’s a good chance the league would place Brown on the Commissioner’s Exempt List if a team takes a chance on him.

One team that might want to look into taking a chance on the 31-year old are the Chicago Bears. According to Pro Football Focus, the Bears wide receiving group heading into the 2020 season is 27th in the league.

“They ended last season ranked tied for 28th in team receiving grade, and their major additions consisted of Ted Ginn Jr., Darnell Mooney, Jimmy Graham, and Cole Kmet,” PFF wrote. “None of those players seem likely to move the needle significantly next season.”

Brown is one of the those players that can move the needle significantly. The All-Pro wide receiver has been seen working out in Florida with players like Dwayne Haskins and Lamar Jackson.

The Bears have enough cap space ($12.5M) to go sign Brown, but due to the off the field issues it would most likely be a one-year deal based off incentives, so Brown can prove his worth and the Bears don’t have to heavily invest in him if something goes wrong.

The Bears would love to see another threat in the offense next to Allen Robinson and the quarterbacks, either Mitchell Trubisky or Nick Foles, would appreciate the extra weapon.

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Mike Furrey believes WR Riley Ridley is going to impress in 2020

Bears WR coach Mike Furrey believes Riley Ridley is going to make significant growth in his second season.

The offense for the Chicago Bears last year was frustrating to watch and the team needs a breakout performer for the 2020 season. Bears wide receiver coach Mike Furrey has selected his candidate.

“The biggest growth we’re going to see with anybody in our room is going to be Riley Ridley,” Furrey told reporters via video conference Wednesday. “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.”

The former Georgia Bulldog struggled with injuries early into training camp last year. Ridley played in five games and recorded six catchers for 69 yards, but he was a healthy scratch in the first 11 games.

“I’m excited about Riley,” Furrey said. “From the time we left the last snap last year to where we will be this training camp, you’re going to have a guy coming in that now has the confidence he can play in the NFL.”

The Bears would love to see a second-year jump from the 2019 fourth-round pick. Ridley, he’s going to see a lot of competition from the Bears wide receivers since Ted Ginn Jr. and Darnell Mooney are new to the roster, then Cordarrelle Patterson and Javon Wims already in the room.

Furrey is candid and direct, so having him talk highly of Ridley is noteworthy.

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B/R ranks Chicago Bears’ receiving corps as 22nd best in NFL

The Bears’ receiving corps aren’t getting much love from analysts outside of stud Allen Robinson.

Considering the Chicago Bears had one of the NFL’s worst offenses a season ago, there aren’t going to be many that are confident in what this offense can accomplish outside of receiver Allen Robinson.

The Bears lost veteran speedster Taylor Gabriel this offseason, as a cap casualty, and didn’t get the same production last year from receiver Anthony Miller that they did during his rookie season in 2018.

But when you have questionable quarterback play, it’s hard to get anything out of your receiving corps. The Bears are aiming to right the ship at quarterback by bringing in former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles to battle Mitchell Trubisky for the starting job.

Bleacher Report ranked the Bears’ receiving corps — including both receivers and tight ends — at No. 22 in the NFL, citing Robinson’s impressive campaign and hinting at better production from Miller in 2020.

The Chicago Bears have their go-to target in Allen Robinson II. In 2019, he had his best showing since a 2015 Pro Bowl campaign. The 26-year-old led the team’s pass-catching group by nearly 500 receiving yards.

As the No. 2 receiver, Anthony Miller registered 52 receptions for 656 yards and two touchdowns during the last term. He underwent offseason shoulder surgery that will keep him out until training camp, per general manager Ryan Pace.

Miller, who is entering his third season, believes that he’s gearing up for a breakout year in 2020, especially given his experience in this offense.

“I feel like this is going to be my best year yet,” Miller said, via Chicago Tribune. “I’ve matured a lot on the field and I’ve gained a lot of knowledge, especially this offseason. I’ve been studying up a lot on other players and seeing what they do so I can enhance my game.”

The Bears also have some young receivers that they’ll be looking to get production from in second-year receiver Riley Ridley, Javon Wims and fifth-round pick Darnell Mooney. Chicago also added some speed to their offense in veteran Ted Ginn Jr. and Mooney.

B/R also discussed the upgrade at tight end this offseason, as well as Miller’s potential breakout season, as a reason for the Bears’ higher ranking.

The Bears could squeeze some production out of Jimmy Graham and develop Cole Kmet into an instant playmaker to match the Colts’ tight end group. Miller’s potential third-year jump gives Chicago an edge for the No. 22 slot.

The Bears’ top three tight ends will look completely different in 2020, with the additions of veteran Jimmy Graham, rookie Cole Kmet and veteran Demetrius Harris.

Following an embarrassing collective output by Bears tight ends a season ago, Ryan Pace is relying on his new crop of tight ends to turn things around in 2020.

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PFF disrespects Bears receiving corps, ranks them among worst in NFL

Pro Football Focus doesn’t have much confidence in the Bears’ receiving corps, as they ranked Chicago among the bottom six in the NFL.

The Chicago Bears have been disrespected just about every way imaginable this offseason. Whether that’s being dubbed by several analysts as one of the worst teams in the NFL, having no shot at winning the NFC North or Khalil Mack not being a top-five pass rusher, everyone already has their minds made up about the Bears in 2020.

The doubt is easy to understand given the struggles of the offense last season, where they were among the bottom dwellers of the league. For a number of reasons, including quarterback play, lack of a run game, absence of tight ends and play calling.

Perhaps the most consistent group on offense, which wasn’t saying much, was the receiving corps, which was led by veteran Allen Robinson, who managed to thrive despite the offense’s struggles.

But Pro Football Focus doesn’t have much confidence in the Bears’ receiving corps outside of Robinson headed into 2020, as they ranked Chicago among the bottom six in the NFL at No. 27.

Allen Robinson II may be getting the best quarterback play he’s ever seen with Nick Foles getting the opportunity to win the starting job over Mitchell Trubisky. The fact that Robinson has been able to be as productive as he has (84.9 career receiving grade) despite dealing with Trubisky and Blake Bortles at quarterback is a testament to just how talented he is.

Chicago still is probably a little short in the receiving department heading into 2020, however. They ended last season ranked tied for 28th in team receiving grade, and their major additions consisted of Ted Ginn Jr., Darnell Mooney, Jimmy Graham and Cole Kmet. None of those players seem likely to move the needle significantly next season.

The Bears released veteran Taylor Gabriel this offseason, as a cap casualty, but they did add speed to their receivers room this offseason, including the additions of veteran Ted Ginn Jr. and rookie Darnell Mooney. They also return veteran Cordarrelle Patterson, who might get more looks in the run game.

Chicago also has a group of young receivers on their roster, including break-out candidate Anthony Miller, fourth-round pick Riley Ridley and seventh-rounder Javon Wims.

While the Bears don’t have the deepest group of receivers in the NFL, they don’t have one of the worst either.

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5 things to know about new Bears WR Ted Ginn Jr.

Ted Ginn Jr. has made a name for himself as a speedster, which is exactly why the Bears signed him.

The Chicago Bears added more speed to their offense with the signing of veteran receiver Ted Ginn Jr., who signed a one-year deal with the team on Thursday.

Ginn has made a name for himself for being a speedster in his 13-year career, and even at 35 years old, he’s still capable of being a playmaker — whether that’s on offense or special teams. Which is exactly what the Bears are hoping for.

Let’s get to know the newest Bears receiver/return specialist:

1. Ginn might be a 13-year veteran, but he’s still got it

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Make no mistake, despite entering his 14th season, Ginn’s still got it at 35 years old. After the Saints signed Emmanuel Sanders in free agency, Ginn tested the free-agency waters and settled on a one-year deal with the Bears.

Ginn has made it clear that he has no intention of retiring, saying: “I’ve still got a few years left in me.” Now, he’ll get a chance to shine in a new home on an offense desperate for speed, which he’s got plenty of.

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Bears sign WR Ted Ginn Jr. to 1-year deal

Chicago is adding more speed to their offense with the addition of speedy, veteran wide-out Ted Ginn Jr.

The Chicago Bears are adding more speed to their offense with the addition of veteran wide-out Ted Ginn Jr., who is signing a one-year deal with the Bears, according to Ian Rapoport.

Ginn, a 13-year veteran, had 30 receptions for 421 yards — averaging 14 yards per reception — and two touchdowns in his final year with the New Orleans Saints in 2019. While providing depth at receiver for Chicago, Ginn also brings some experience — and serious speed — to the kick return game. Although, Cordarrelle Patterson and Tarik Cohen occupy those starting roles.

The Bears offense is certainly looking to add more speed in 2020, an element that was lacking last season. With the recent selection of Tulane receiver Darnell Mooney in the fifth-round and now the signing of Ginn, Chicago is looking to utilize some speedy weapons to help stretch the field in 2020.

Chicago’s receivers room now consists of Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller, Patterson, Javon Wims, Riley Ridley, Mooney, Reggie Davis, Thomas Ives, Ahmad Wagner, Alex Wesley and newcomer Trevor Davis, who signed a one-year deal on Wednesday.

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