Should the Bears gamble on some of these guys?
We saw all throughout the NFL's playoff that, in order to have success, you need to have some dangerous weapons on offense. Literally all of the teams that won a playoff game had amazing skills players. The Chicago Bears don't have a lot of these types of players. David Montgomery is a solid running back, Darnell Mooney is a great slot receiver and I believe Cole Kmet could turn into a top 10 tight end very soon. However, even with that being said, at this moment, the Bears are probably in the bottom 7 or 8 teams when it comes to skills position. I don't think I could name 10 teams with less talent at the running back/ receiver/tight end positions.
Nevertheless, this could all change very soon. With little draft capital and not a huge available cap space in 2022, Ryan Poles and his associates are gonna have to find a way to bring in talent, without paying too much. A good way to do that would be to take a chance on one of the receivers coming off an injury. The biggest reason to sign one of these guys is that you would not have to sign them for a lot of money, and it would probably be a one-year prove-it type of deal. Even if the contract is longer than a year, you would be signing them at a discount.
Here are 3 guys that fit this description:
- Odell Beckham jr.
The 29-year-old is believed to have torn his ACL last night. I have linked OBJ to the Bears a couple of weeks ago and the reactions were mixed. One thing is for sure, he is still extremely talented. He was playing like a true top 10 receiver in the league during the playoffs and, prior to his injury in the Super Bowl, he was on pace for an incredible game. Odell is truly made for the big stage. OBJ has shown that he can come back from a knee injury like he had yesterday. I think that anyone that has a little football knowledge has to know at this point that Odell Beckham jr was not the problem.
Here is a clip of him:
- Chris Godwin
Godwin suffered a torn ACL during the Buccaneers' 9-0 loss to the Saints in Week 15. It was very unfortunate because he was playing amazing this season. However, with the departure of Tom Brady, and the difficult salary cap situation for the Bucs, Godwin is likely on his way out of Tampa Bay. I don't believe he will be signed by a team for a long-term contract. If I am correct, he could be an amazing fit in the Bears' offense for the next season. He would be a really reliable target for Justin Fields.
Here is a clip of him that shows his talent:
-Michael Gallup
Gallup also suffered a torn ACL in week 17. He was considered probably the best third option receiver in the NFL before the 2021 season when he got hurt. Gallup had 1107 yards during the 2019 campaign emerging on the national scene. He followed that year with a respectable 2020 season (843 yards). The receiver turns 26 in a few weeks. Once again, he could also be a great addition, at a discount for the Chicago bears.
Here is a clip of him that shows his amazing catching ability:
