Bear Digest

Bears Receiver Upgrade Means One Thing

Analysis: The Bears didn't add a highly paid No. 2 receiver so they could team a running quarterback with experienced pass catchers, so expect a Justin Fields trade soon.

Gene Chamberlain

Bears Receiver Upgrade Means One Thing
Bears Receiver Upgrade Means One Thing /
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It's OK for Bears GM Ryan Poles to show his face again.

All is forgiven, at least by many Bears fans.

It was starting to seem like he had locked himself into Halas Hall without a telephone as no free agents of consequence besides D'Andre Swift signed. 

Those who still want Justin Fields back next year probably aren't going to be too happy with him, still, because it's difficult to see how they would keep their quarterback of the last three seasons when Caleb Williams is available.

But trading for Keenan Allen gives the Bears a well established receiver to team with DJ Moore. He has hit 100 receptions or more five times in 11 seasons.

 About the only thing to worry about with Allen is adjusting to playing in the cold at Soldier Field, as his college career came in California, his entire pro career has been in San Diego or Los Angeles, and he is a native of Greensboro, N.C.

Considering how inconsistent their passing game has been since they won the division in 2018—and even that season in some respects—they'll take it on faith and offer him some gloves and hand warmers.

They now have their best wide receiver tandem since they had Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery chasing passes thrown by Jay Cutler during the Marc Trestman regime.

Where this is all leading is one undeniable conclusion and, as stated, it's not going to please the Justin Fields people. 

Caleb Williams is coming at quarterback and this can't be denied.

  • They have just upgraded greatly at wide receiver.
  • They added a good receiving tight end in Gerald Everett and a better pass-catching running back in Swift during free agency.
  • They signed two veteran center/guards so they have someone with experience snapping it. You don't want a rookie quarterback teamed with a rookie center unless you like headaches in blocking adjustments at the line and blitzers coming free in the A-gap.
  • They signed an offensive coordinator whose Seattle teams never ranked higher than 22nd in total rushing attempts, even though his quarterback was fairly mobile.

The Bears don't want the quarterback running the ball. They want the football coming out of the quarterback's hand in order to use the new weapons acquired.

You don't get a receiver with Allen's experience to be the No. 2 wide receiver and then team him with a quarterback who has been unable to complete more than 38 passes to his second wide receiver since he has been with the team.

Fields hasn't been able to get to his second wide receiver in a progression, regardless of who the head coach and offensive coordinator have been. It's One, DJ Moore, two, Cole Kmet or a running back, and then take off running. 

It's exciting for some fans but it takes away from the actual passing attack.

Fields had capable No. 2 wide receivers to find in the progression and didn't. Last year Mooney had better average separation, according to Sportradar, than Moore. Yet Fields didn't get him the ball more than 31 times. The Falcons realized this and gave Mooney $39 million for three years.

The scramble needs to be only for a last option. The quarterback doesn't need to be running around end on sweeps. That's the purpose of bringing in Swift to team with Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson. 

Put this all together and it's obvious they want to draft Williams.

Williams realizes this, too. While attending The Players Championship in Florida near Jacksonville, he was cheered by fans and caught on video saying there must be a lot of Bears fans there.

At least, there must be a lot of Bears and Williams fans at the golf tournament.

The Fields fans, meanwhile, will simply need to get used to the idea and it would be good to start now, before Williams comes to Halas Hall for his top-30 visit and physical following next week's USC pro day. Because it's after that when the trade is most likely to come.

The Bears are going to be a passing team. Imagine that. They are advancing into the 21st century. 

It seems like they've gone straight from the 19th century to the 21st to get there, but they appear to be about to do it with Williams at quarterback.

Don't forget to thank Poles.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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