Chicago Bears Bring in Six WRs for Tryout
With the Bears season long injury problems at the wide receiver position, they brought in six receivers for a tryout on Tuesday. Top receiver Alshon Jeffery has been dealing with a hamstring issue all year, free agent signing Eddie Royal has only played six games this season, Marquess Wilson missed last week’s game with a foot injury and hasn’t practiced this week, and obviously 1st round pick Kevin White has been out all season with a shin injury.
Due to the rash of injuries the Bears have been relying on unproven commodities like Marc Mariani, Josh Bellamy, and Cameron Meredith with mixed results. It’s too late in the season to bring in a new receiver but the Bears can sign players to futures contracts as soon as the season ends which would place the player on the 90-man roster for next season and keep other teams from claiming the player. The Bears brought in six players on Tuesday to give these players an audition for next season. I’ve listed the players below with a brief scouting report on each of the them.
Danario Alexander – I wrote about Alexander as a potential Bear during last year’s preseason when Marquess Wilson went down with a clavicle injury and apparently the Bears still have some interest in him. He is the most proven option on this list with a couple of huge games back in 2012 during a five week stretch where he averaged just under 100 yards per game and scored five TDs.
The problem and primary concern with Alexander is that he hasn’t played an NFL snap since that stretch. He missed all of 2013 with an ACL tear in his right knee and before that point had at least five surgeries on his left knee. Alexander has ideal size (6’5 | 221) and in his prime could out run most DBs, but who knows what he has left after multiple procedures on both of his knees. The fact that he is healthy enough to try and make a comeback is a good sign and at only 27 years old, Alexander could still have some value left if he can stay healthy.
Next: Isaac Blakeney