The Chicago Bears cleaned house this offseason. They will be under new management as general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy were both fired this offseason. Taking over for them are Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus.
It was an interesting head coaching signing for the Bears, as they went with the defensive-minded Eberflus after things flamed out with the offensive-minded Nagy. But, a lot of his job security will be tied to how he handles Justin Fields at quarterback.
The Bears traded up with the New York Giants in the 2021 NFL Draft to select Fields out of Ohio State. His rookie season was an up-and-down one, as the offense was super conservative and it didn’t play to his strengths.
This offseason, the No. 1 goal should be adding weapons around him. Darnell Mooney is all he has at wide receiver and Cole Kmet is coming into his own at tight end. Bringing in some more talent at wide receiver is a must.
Who could the team target? Let’s take a look at three options at wide receiver the Bears should pursue.
Virtually every team in the NFL would love to add Davante Adams to their roster this offseason. He is arguably the best wide receiver in the league and would instantly upgrade the offense of whoever is lucky enough to land him.
He is the kind of wide receiver the Bears need to help elevate and develop Fields. However, it is fair to question if Adams would rejoin what looks like a rebuilding Chicago team. They’d have to offer him a lot more money than he is receiving from other teams to get him to switch sides in one of the longest-standing rivalries in the NFL.
Bears fans would love the chance to weaken the Green Bay Packers by signing away their best offensive weapon. It is hard to imagine things going as poorly for Adams as they did Allen Robinson, but that is certainly something that will stick in his head if Chicago gets in touch with him.
Darnell Mooney looks the part of a go-to receiver on the outside. He and Fields developed good chemistry during the 2021 season, but now it is time to get him some help.
Christian Kirk of the Arizona Cardinals would be a great fit in the Bears’ offense. He was moved into the slot this season and he saw his production take off. Kirk had a career year, catching 77 passes for 982 yards and five touchdowns.
Kirk is an excellent deep ball receiver as a vertical threat from the slot position. He would help open up the offense for Mooney and Kmet to work intermediate and short routes underneath and bring another dimension to this Bears offense.
Kirk is a great fit in Arizona, so it could be hard to pry him away. But, if the Bears present him with a big guaranteed money offer, they could convince him to leave the desert for the Windy City.
Something the Bears offense is missing is a big-bodied wide receiver that gets the job as a downfield threat and red zone target. They could get all of that and a little more in Mike Williams.
Standing 6’4”, Williams has intimidating size and would bring a much-needed extra dimension to Chicago’s offense. If Williams is looking for the chance to become a true No. 1 wide receiver after playing alongside Keenan Allen for five years, he could get that chance with the Bears.
Coming off a career season himself, Williams will cash in as a free agent this offseason. His quickness will limit his impact as a possession receiver, but the Bears already have that in place with Mooney. Adding a big-play receiver in Williams is what the team needs to help elevate an underwhelming offense.
