On July 13, 2022, the Chicago Bears traded for Patriots Wide Receiver, N’Keal Harry in exchange for their 2024 7th round pick. N’Keal Harry, picked 25th overall in 2019, didn’t find his groove during his first three seasons with the Patriots. With his arrival in Chicago, N’Keal Harry was given a fresh start and a new opportunity for success. However, N’Keal Harry’s first season with the Chicago Bears was halted after he suffered a high-grade ankle sprain. N’Keal Harry is expected to be sidelined for eight weeks. With wide receiver David Moore also injured, the Bears weak receiving core has become further depleted. With the Bears recently signing free agent offensive tackle Riley Reiff, I expect them to sign a veteran receiver for a small deal to replace David Moore and N’Keal Harry’s absences. Here are the top five free agent wide receivers for the Chicago Bears.
Five: Odell Beckham Jr.
Undeniably the most known receiver on this list, Odell Beckham Jr. is coming off an atypical season. After disputes with the Cleveland Browns, Odell Beckham Jr. was traded to the Los Angeles Rams to play alongside Cooper Kupp. Beckham Jr. started seven of his eight games played with Rams, racking up 305 yards and 5 touchdowns. Beckham continued to perform well in the playoffs, putting up 288 yards and two touchdowns-one being in the superbowl. Despite winning Super Bowl LVI with the Rams, Odell Beckham Jr.’s free agency value plummeted after suffering a torn ACL in the first half of the Super Bowl. This injury has prevented teams from signing Beckham Jr. due to the uncertainty of him playing this season. Beckham Jr. also stated that he would like to play for a contender, so him coming to Chicago is very unlikely. Beckham Jr. is also much smaller than David Moore and N’Keal Harry, so he might not be the ideal replacement.
Four: Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Sanders’ 11 year veteran status is beneficial to any team that signs him, but also a cause for concern due to his age. Sanders played for the Bills last season under Josh Allen’s wing. He played 14 games scoring four touchdowns with 626 receiving yards. With Emmanuel Sanders’ experience in the NFL, he could teach young receivers like Velus Jones Jr. how to play better. However, with Sanders turning 35 last March, his reliability is dropping. Similar to Odell Beckham Jr., Emmanuel Sanders is a small yet fast receiver, so he won’t match the playstyle of David Moore and N’Keal Harry. Since Sanders is entering the final years of his career, Sanders’ asking price will be low, allowing the Bears to sign him to a cheap deal if needed.
Three: Cole Beasley
Just like Emmanuel Sanders, Cole Beasley also played for the Bills last season. Beasley had his third consecutive season with over 600 receiving yards in Buffalo, having 693 yards with only one touchdown. Beasley’s red zone presence is not very prominent, but he is very dependable in the short game. His size is a cause of concern, Beasley only weighs 174 pounds with a height of 5 foot 8. Beasley started half the games he played last season, and managed to have a good season despite all the options Josh Allen has. Cole Beasly’s durability is something that goes very unnoticed. Despite Beasley’s rookie season, Beasley has played at least 14 games every season. Beasley could be a cheap pick-up for the Bears until N’Keal Harry and David Moore get healthy.
Two: John Ross
John Ross, one of the fastest receivers in the NFL, would make a speedy trio with Darnell Mooney and Velus Jones Jr. John Ross’ transition to the NFL has been rocky. Ross was picked ninth overall in the 2017 draft and anticipated to be a future star in the making. In his first five years in the NFL, Ross has shown glimpses of talent, but his inconsistency has led teams to consider him a bust. The upside on John Ross is his age. With Ross being only 26 years old, he has a lot of years ahead of him and the potential to become his former self in college. Ross would be a great low risk, high reward type of player for the Chicago Bears.
One: Will Fuller
Will Fuller finds himself at the top of this list because of his size. Will Fuller’s height measures at 6 foot 1, similar to David Moore and a few inches shy of N’Keal Harry. Will Fuller first five seasons in Houston were exceptional. As the wide receiver two behind DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller made a name for himself earning over 400 yards in his first four seasons. Will Fuller became the primary option for Deshaun Watson in 2020, having a statement year with 879 yards and eight touchdowns. Will Fuller looked like a promising receiver. Fuller decided to sign with Dolphins, but injuries and suspensions ended his season short. Fuller now find himself as a free agent during the pre-season. Fullers seems to be healed from his injuries which makes him desirable as a replacement for the Bears this season. Let me know what you think about our free agent wide receiver list. The Bears could also explore trades for a new receiver, but with the Roquan Smith situation, the front office probably has their hands tied.
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Michael
9 months ago
Very solid list….I like the idea of john Ross. High upside and a low price.
Very solid list….I like the idea of john Ross. High upside and a low price.