Dante Pettis' Availability Winning Out

Dante Pettis wound up healthy and playing receiver when players like Tajae Sharpe, N'Keal Harry and Byron Pringle were out injured and it could be what earns him a roster spot

The Bears wide receiver battle took a turn every day in training camp and usually an injury had something to do with each one.

In the end attrition kept coaches from getting a consistently long look at some pass catchers. It seems Dante Pettis is one of those who found a seat before the music stopped.

Justin Fields had high praise for Pettis, who caught a 12-yard touchdown pass in Saturday's game, and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy also did.

It would be awfully difficult to justify removing Pettis from the roster now after he was the receiver left healthy and producing both on offense and special teams as preseason ended.

"An opportunity was presented and he's gone out and taken it by the horns," offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said.

While praising Pettis' ability to grasp all of the receiver positions in the offense, Getsy also something more than a receiver who could find a soft spot in a zone and wait for the ball.

"He's been presented one-on-one opportunities and he's won them, both in practice and the preseason games," Getsy said. "In our game, you have to have guys who are able to win those one-on-one battles. He's done a nice job with that."

The touchdown was typical of the kind of route running the Bears have seen from Pettis. Seeing DB Greedy Williams using inside leverage Pettis made a fake to take him to the inside to an even greater extent and then broke out and up into the side of the end zone for the TD.

"So he stayed patient on his route and, of course, ran a good route," Fields said. "He's a great route runner, probably one of the best ones that we have on the team.

"So he executed the route perfectly and I threw a good ball to him."

Being a strong route runner requires several specific skills.

"I think it’s his patience, obviously," Getsy said. "He has a really cool ability to play on his insteps. And his patience to be able to, and be comfortable being really close to a defender is something that the great ones, they’re able to do that. 

"There’s no panic. You’re not making a move so far away from the guy. You’re able to smell his breath and make a move. I think that’s a really cool quality he have."

Pettis has also shown he can play the role of the extra receiver on the roster by taking on punt returns. He averaged 8.7 yards on four returns and also made four fair catches.

An NCAA record setter with nine career punt return TDs, Pettis doesn't look to be as dangerous now as Velus Jones and likely would yield that duty but at least the Bears know they have an option. And it's one they could use because Jones is going to be used a lot on offense.

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