Chicago Bears Roster Breakdown 2016: Offense

Wide Receiver:

Projected starters: Alshon Jeffrey, Kevin White, Eddie Royal

Depth: Marc Mariani, Deonte Thompson, Joshua Bellamy

These are the three who have been on the projected depth charts for the Bears preseason games, but they are not locks by any stretch of the imagination. I would look for Daniel Braverman to sneak into the 53 by taking out either Mariani or Bellamy. The difficulty for Braverman is the third phase in which Mariani is the punt returner and Thompson is the kick returner. Bellamy is the best overall receiver of the three, so finding that spot to sneak into will not be easy for Braverman. Marquess Wilson (PUP) is a player of interest. He was a lock for the 4^th WR slot prior to his foot injury. He, much like Zach Miller, also struggles to stay healthy. Is the Bears coaching staff finally at the point where his potential is not worth waiting for him to finally get healthy? If you like a good underdog, and who doesn’t, keep your eye on Kieren Duncan. He’s a great kid who plays with a ton of heart. He’s a huge long shot to make the 53 but I would just be stoked if he made the practice squad.

Best Case: The ceiling for this position group is through the roof. These guys are a real reason to be optimistic about the Bears 2016 offense. It is not at all difficult to see a scenario where both Jeffrey and White have 1,000 yard receiving seasons and a healthy Eddie Royal chips in an extra 600 yards receiving. The talent the Bears have at wide receiver is second to none and this trio could be top 5 in the NFL.

Worst Case: The Bears wide receiver unit would be hard pressed to get hit with the injury bug the way they did last year so at worst let’s say that only one of the starting three plays less than 8 games this year. That means that there will at least be White or Jeffrey in the starting line-up along side a solid supporting cast. The only thing that can really set this group back is the inability for the quarterback to get them the ball (*Cough*-Jay Cutler- *Cough*). This group will get open and produce as long as the ball gets to them.

Cap Hit: Alshon Jeffrey (14.6 mil), Kevin White (3.8 mil), Eddie Royal (4.5 mil), Marc Mariani (680k), Deonte Thompson (680k), Joshua Bellamy (600k). Alshon Jeffrey’s franchise tag makes a huge cap hit for the Bears ranking 4^th highest among all wide receivers in the NFL. Kevin White with his rookie contract is third for this group at 41^st in the league. If you are like me you are shaking your head in wonder as to why Eddie Royal has the 32 ranked cap hit for receivers. This alone is a huge reason to push for Braverman (470k) to take over as the slot receiver. The Alshon Jeffrey franchise tag makes this group a little pricey but if they stay healthy and produce they will be worth it.

Projected 2016 ranking: 8-10

Next: Quarterback