If the Chicago Bears are going to make a genuine run at a Super Bowl this year, they’ll need guys other than their stars to step up. Players who probably didn’t contribute that much in 2019 for one reason or another. These types of players are often called sleepers. Those who emerge from humble origins to become primary factors in a team’s success.
A somewhat difficult question is who could that sleeper be for these Bears? There are some obvious candidates to consider. Anthony Miller has flirted with stardom over the past two years. Maybe this is the one he puts it all together. Bilal Nichols had such promise as a rookie in 2018 but was set back by an injury last season. He could rebound in a big way. Then there is Kevin Toliver. He spent two years in the shadow of Prince Amukamara. Now he has his opportunity to start and is talented enough to do it.
Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report though had a different name in mind. He sees second-year receiver Riley Ridley as the man to watch.
“It was a good sign for the Georgia product that Chicago again didn’t spend a high draft pick on a receiver and an even better sign when wide receivers coach Mike Furrey pumped up Ridley’s tires last month.
“I think the biggest growth we’re going to see with anybody in our room is going to be Riley Ridley,” Furrey said in June, per Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Ginn and Cordarrelle Patterson are more accomplished, but Ridley’s got the route-running ability and the pass-catching skills to beat them out for regular outside reps this summer and fall.”
Chicago Bears love Ridley but will they give him a shot?
The comments by Furrey were the first true eye-opener of this offseason. He clearly has high expectations for Ridley. It’s not hard to understand why. The kid had a lot of fans coming out of Georgia. The size and route running prowess were there. It was a matter of adjusting to the speed of the NFL level. They seem to think he’s ready to take that next step.
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The question is will they give him a true opportunity? It feels like a bit of a heirarchy is already in place. Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller sit at the top. Ted Ginn Jr. is pretty much penciled in as the starting “Z” guy. That’s the top three spots locked in. So how many chances can Ridley expect even if he wins that #4 spot on the depth chart?
If he shows up in training camp and looks good, it will fall on head coach Matt Nagy over whether he gets a fair shot.
