Anthony Miller showed serious flashes of what he could be towards the end of 2019. From Week 11 to Week 15, he went on a tear where he made 33 catches for 433 yards and two touchdowns. It had the Chicago Bears salivating. If only they could get that guy to show up for a full season. It would be the coveted #2 target who could ease the pressure on Allen Robinson.
Wide receivers coach Mike Furrey has the utmost confidence he’ll be ready. Despite offseason shoulder surgery, he said Miller figured out the last critical piece to the puzzle. One of preparation for every game. Recent videos show the receiver is in great shape and working out constantly. Is there anything left for the Bears to do in order to improve his chances of success?
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report has a suggestion. Start Nick Foles. His reasoning was pretty straightforward.
“However, Miller’s effectiveness out of the slot should increase, especially if Foles wins the quarterback job. The 31-year-old signal-caller loves to work the middle of the field and consistently targets slot receivers.
Trubisky still has a chance to retain his starting position, but he faces an uphill battle after Foles’ acquisition and the organization declined the ’17 No. 2 pick’s fifth-year option.
Foles’ previous working relationships with head coach Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, as well as a familiarity with the system, will ease his transition and possibly give him the edge in this scenario.
Foles’ starting is the best possible outcome for the third-year wide receiver to emerge as a top target, but he must continue to put in the work to capitalize on the situation.”
History does say Foles is the guy Anthony Miller wants
Now Miller is a great teammate. He’s been highly supportive of Mitch Trubisky. The two have worked together constantly this offseason. That said, it’s fair to wonder if Trubisky can truly maximize the receiver’s talent. Working the middle of the field is probably his biggest weakness due in large part to his struggles at reading defenses. Foles has no such issues.
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A perfect example is Nelson Agholor. He was the Philadelphia Eagles slot receiver in 2017 and 2018. Whenever Foles got on the field, he started to see more action. In 23 games between those two seasons with Carson Wentz at QB, he was targeted 125 times. An average of 5.43 per game. When Foles saw action, he was targeted 96 times in 14 games. An average of 6.85 times per game. A significant uptick.
The Bears’ offseason seems to lean in the direction of making this offense more dangerous over the middle. Signing Jimmy Graham and drafting Cole Kmet at tight end is another sign. If Foles does win the job, they along with Miller could see a ton of action on Sundays. If Miller stays healthy, this could be his year to shine.
