GM Ryan Poles hinted the Chicago Bears might be active come the end of August when teams make their final cuts. Remember, he sits high in the waiver wire priority, meaning he has a chance to secure some noteworthy talent that might get released. He wasn’t specific on which positions he may target. Yet it isn’t hard to determine the likely ones. If wide receiver isn’t on top of the list, it isn’t lower than second place.
The Bears have significant questions with their corps. Darnell Mooney is going to be good. Everybody after that is a question mark. Byron Pringle is already injured with a quad issue. Velus Jones is a rookie. N’Keal Harry had ankle surgery. Equanimeous St. Brown hasn’t done anything in the preseason despite reports of solid practices. Justin Fields needs as many reliable weapons as he can get. So if Poles goes hunting for help, here are some names he might have a shot at come August 31st.
Chicago Bears could have some notable options to choose from.
Darius Slayton
He looked like a budding star as a rookie in 2019, with over 700 yards and eight touchdowns. Slayton never topped that production with the New York Giants after that. Much of it wasn’t due to him. The team switched offensive coordinators constantly, and quarterback inconsistency made matters worse. Last season was his worst, leading to a firm belief he will be cut. Chicago employs receivers coach Tyke Tolbert, who helped develop Slayton. That familiarity makes joining the Bears an easy sell from his perspective.
Interception merchant sadly + Kendrick Bourne toasted him pic.twitter.com/lGPbUDZhLh
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Kendrick Bourne
It sounds crazy to think a receiver that had 800 yards and five touchdowns last season is in danger of being cut. Yet it sounds like things could tilt that way. Bourne is reportedly unhappy with the new Patriots offense and hasn’t looked good in training camp. New England isn’t afraid to cut big names loose. He’d bring them some extra cap relief too. Bourne played in San Francisco under Kyle Shanahan for four years, so he knows the offensive system the Bears plan to run. It’s a natural fit.
Denzel Mims
Nobody knows for sure what went wrong with the former 2nd round pick. He flashed potential as a rookie in 2020. Then a coaching change arrived the following season. Mims hasn’t been able to see the field much since. Now the New York Jets have overhauled the receiver position enough to where his presence feels more pointless by the day. He wants a fresh start elsewhere. Thus far, the team has been unable or unwilling to trade him. It is hard to imagine they simply keep him another year to warm the bench.
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Tyler Vaughns
No team in the NFL has been better at scouting wide receiver talent over the past 20 years than the Pittsburgh Steelers. They seem as loaded as ever going into 2022. Enough to where their best player of the preseason might not make the cut. Vaughns was an undrafted free agent for Indianapolis last season. Across 15 targets in two preseason outings, he has 12 catches for 146 yards and a touchdown. What stands out most about him is his strong hands and excellent ability to run after the catch.
Cyril Grayson
Another team that is stacked at wide receiver is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Having Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Julio Jones as the top three is kind of ridiculous. That makes it easy to understand why somebody like Grayson won’t make the cut. It isn’t because he is bad. The guy was outstanding for the Bucs down the stretch last season, going for 162 yards and a touchdown in two of the season’s final three games. Both wins. He had 212 yards and two TDs total on just 12 targets. He can play for the Chicago Bears.
Tyler Vaughns would be a very good addition to the Bears’ WR corps — but George Pickens or Alec Pierce would have been even better (along with a LB like Leo Chenal) had Ryan Poles traded Roquan Smith for a 2nd and 3rd round pick in a very deep 2022 NFL Draft.
However, Ryan Poles was asleep at the wheel.
Yes. TE. Not sure why it is not being mentioned. Kmet and then WHO?
The Ravens had a big draft haul and may have to cut some good players. I’d be looking at their TE, LB and CB cuts.
Poles mentioned a bib body WR, similar to Harry and St Brown. He already has the speed guys he wants. “Must” might be a bit overblown, here.
From everything I’ve read the Patriots are running a wide zone scheme this year. So not sure why Bourne doesn’t like that if it’s what he came from and what we’re trying to run now.