Javon Wims had himself an amazing preseason in 2018. The 7th round pick posted 225 yards and a touchdown, leading all other receivers. Not that people put much stock in it. The preseason is the preseason. It’s never a true barometer for which players will be good and which will be out of the league after a few years. Except, that may not entirely be true.
It turns out this time of year has proven more prophetic to wide receivers than any other position in the game. Jonathan Wood of Da Bears Blog incidentally picked up on it while trying to make a different point. He wanted to say that stat leaders in the preseason mean absolutely nothing. This is true for the most part, except the receivers. Look close at each list and take note of what makes that position stand out.
See it? Two of the five names listed actually went on to become highly productive targets for their respective teams. The other two were decent contributors as well. As it turns out, this is a trend that goes back a long way and should have Bears fans excited about what the future may hold for Wims.
Javon Wims domination wasn’t just because it was preseason
This isn’t just any sort of coincidence too. It’s actually a trend that has held true in several other cases. In 2006, Greg Jennings emerged as a rookie out of Western Michigan. He eventually became a Pro Bowler and favorite target of Aaron Rodgers. Victor Cruz led all receivers in 2010. A year later he had over 1,500 yards and led the New York Giants to a Super Bowl. Antonio Brown dominated the 2011 preseason and then broke 1,000 yards for the first time later that same year.
Subscribe to the BFR podcast and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
It’s been a pretty consistent barometer for showcasing which receivers are poised to break out as weapons for their teams. Allen Hurns emerged as a 1,000-yard receiver in 2015. Robby Anderson had over 900 yards and 7 TDs in 2017. Even Rashad Ross became the second-leading receiver in the short-lived AAF league with 583 yards in just eight games. Unlike other positions, wide receivers who excel in the preseason aren’t doing so because of bad competition.
They still have to run the routes, get open, and make tough catches. If they can do that in August, why can’t they do it in September to December? Wims is already proving that with his outstanding training camp down in Bourbonnais.