Chicago Bears rookie records are a bit difficult to conquer these days because they’re such an older franchise, right? Not necessarily. If one were to examine the numbers for several marks, they’d find the bars to clear lower than they’d believe. Just look at Mitch Trubisky. He only needed 176 completions and 2,015 yards to set the Bears rookie pass records. Jordan Howard recently set the rushing mark with 1,313 yards in 2016. Are there any others that could soon fall? Yes, and Anthony Miller may be the man to topple it.
The Bears receiving records are notoriously rough from a career standpoint. Johnny Morris, who retired in the 60s, still holds the mark with just over 5,000 yards total. However, the single-season record for a rookie receiver is actually rather formidable. In 1954, 15th round pick Harlon Hill came out of nowhere to post 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns. Neither has been toppled since.
It’s unreasonable to think Miller will knock off either. Not with Allen Robinson likely to get a heavy dose of the targets. At the same time, there is one piece of the receiving record that may be attainable: receptions. Currently, the most catches a Bears player has for his rookie season stands at 63. This was set by Matt Forte in 2008.
Anthony Miller is in a good position to topple the Forte mark
It’s never the best look when a running back holds a receiving record on an NFL team. Forte was special, don’t get that twisted, but it reinforces how poor the Bears have been at cultivating wide receivers for a long time. There is a strong feeling at Halas Hall and around the league that Miller could be one to help alter that perception.
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He was a terror at Memphis during his final two seasons of college. During that span, he made 191 catches for 2,996 yards and 32 touchdowns. That revealed an obvious takeaway: he gets open a lot. Slot receivers play a greater role than ever before in passing offenses and it’s a position tailor-made for Miller.
It’s also a position that represents a comfort zone for quarterbacks, an outlet on checkdowns. This can lead to a high volume of receptions. Looking back at last season, four of the top reception leaders were primary slot receivers including the overall leader Jarvis Landry with 112. If Miller is anywhere near that level as some believe, his impact could be immediate and impressive.
Enough to break Forte’s record? Yes. Don’t forget Kendall Wright led the way with 59 catches last year. It’s apparent Mitch Trubisky likes using the slot receiver often. Now that he’ll be allowed to throw more, it could mean big things for Miller.
