The Bears already have a 1 wide receiver
Entering his rookie campaign after being drafted in the 5th round of the 2020 NFL draft, Darnell Mooney quickly ascended up the depth chart and made a name for himself.
During the 2020 campaign, Mooney only trailed Allen Robinson on the roster in receptions, targets and yards. Mooney finished his rookie season with 61 receptions, 631 yards receiving and 4 touchdowns.
Heading into the 2021 season it was expected that there would be a 1-2 punch of Mooney and Robinson. Mooney exceeded all expectations during the season and quickly became Justin Fields' number target. Mooney out-snapped any offensive player on the team, being on the field nearly 88% of the offensive snaps. Along with 81 receptions, 1055 yards receiving and 4 TDs. Mooney's 140 targets in 2021 were tied for 10th in the league among all receivers.
Mooney has many tools in his bag to become a clear-cut #1 WR in this offense, and it does help that Mooney and Fields' have already started preparing for the new season by working out together. Despite only being 5'11'' and a smaller frame for a typical NFL receiver Mooney has shown time and time again he can separate down the field to provide a deep threat along with many fantastic plays after the catch.
For this 3rd year's receiver, the sky is the limit as he heads into the 2022 season as Justin Fields' favorite target and the clear-cut #1 on the depth chart. The question is can he carry the weight or the load? The growth from 2020 to 2021 shows he has the talent to be a #1 in this league, Mooney's only knack has been his drops, he had nine in the 2021 season. This is enough to be concerning but it's not a true reflection of his ability, he has great hands. It's a matter of cleaning up his route and breaking in and out of the route, along with timing and chemistry with Fields. Becoming more consistent in that field will eliminate many of those potential drops.
Article Written by Justin Kendrick
