Ihmir Smith-Marsette Pointing for Vikings

Former Vikings receiver now with the Bears has two games circled in particular on his schedule and they are both with his old team, the Minnesota Vikings.

USA Today

The first thing wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette thought about when told he'd been claimed by the Bears after being waived by Minnesota was his last game against Chicago when he caught his only career touchdown pass.

It came in the season finale.

"I torched them last year," the former Iowa receiver said. "So go figure. It was just meant to be. They got me and I'm happy to be here."

The second thing was something for his old team. It's pure bulletin board material. He has the Oct. 9 game in Minnesota and the season finale in Chicago against Minnesota circled.

"Oh yeah, twice, twice for sure," Smith-Marsette said of the Vikings. "They have to see me twice."

"They have to see me twice."

Whether Smith-Marsette is a key part of the Bears offense then is uncertain for now, but at least he has someone he knows teaching him. Former Vikings quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko is Justin Fields' quarterback coach.

"It's going to be a fun process, I believe," Smith-Marsette said. "It's kind of the same. Not so much learning everything new. I feel comfortable about learning it and I got some good coaches."

The wide zone emphasis in the running game along with the pass plays are not completely unlike what the Vikings were doing while he played their as a rookie last year.

"Close enough," Smith-Marsette said. "The language is close enough to be the same where I don't have to completely turn my brain off from my last team. I'm confident in learning it."

The ideal fit for Smith-Marsette goes beyond scheme and coaching staff. If a receiver is going to a team this year, the one they want to go to is the Bears, especially a fifth-round 2021 pick like Smith-Marsette. 

There is great opportunity, at least according to league analysts who see the Chicago receiver cupboard as bare with the exception of Darnell Mooney. With the Vikings, he was buried as a fourth or fifth receiver, especially after the trade for Jalen Reagor.

"Definitely a good spot for myself," Smith-Marsette said. 'I feel like I'm coming in, a new guy, and (they'll) give me a chance to work."

With wide receiver Byron Pringle coming back after missing all of preseason, rookie Velus Jones Jr. a frequent visitor to the rehab stationary bicycles throught camp and N'Keal Harry on injured reserve, the crash course in their offense might be more beneficial to the Bears more than one could expect from your run-of-the-mill street free agent.

Smith-Marsette had 4.43-second speed in the 40 coming out of Iowa and a 37-inch vertical leap. Most of the routes he ran for the Vikings before being waived came on the outside, and this is where the Bears could most use help. However, they try to emphasize receivers knowing all the positions.

"Just more competition," Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. "We're excited to get another athlete out there, a guy that can catch it and run. He's a young player but we're certainly excited. Again, more competition in there."

The Bears could also use Smith-Marsette as a backup kick or punt returner. He returned four kicks for the Vikings last year for a 20.8-yard average, but they seem to have these duties covered with Trestan Ebner and Velus Jones Jr., if not Khalil Herbert.

Regardless of how the Bears use Smith-Marsette, he's feeling the ability to contribute.

"Definitely got an opportunity," he said. "I feel like I've got an opportunity to make an impact anywhere I go. That's just the type of player I am. That's my mindset. I feel like I can make a play on any team in this league. I feel like I can play in this league, and I feel like I belong in this league.

"So anywhere I would've went I would've made a tremendous impact."

Especially one where he gets to play the Vikings twice.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven