Pro Football Focus recently posted a list of the best NFL wide receivers at each possible route. Surprisingly, there was a Chicago Bear on the list. Second-year receiver Cameron Meredith made the list as the best in the NFL at double moves.
I’ll give you a second for the shock to set in. Despite most Bear fans considering Meredith the best of a sorry group of receivers and a borderline number two, it appears he’s valued a little higher on the national level.
Here is PFF’s explanation of a double move and write up of Meredith’s skill at it:
"The double moveThe double move is a deception route where you are trying to draw the defender up and then beat him over the top. These routes consist of the Quick Out and Up, the Out and Up, the Slant and Go, and the Hitch and Go. In order to run the route well, you need to have both sufficient patience to draw the defender in, and enough explosiveness to blow by him. These are slower-developing routes that require the offensive line to give the QB time to throw the ball down the field. QBs typically throw these routes on a five- or seven-step dropback with an aDOT of 23.48 yards.Best double move (min. 4 targeted routes): Cameron Meredith, Chicago BearsCameron Meredith scored four touchdowns in 2016, two on double moves. Meredith caught all 5 of his targets for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns. He had a perfect receiver rating of 158.3 and averaged 26.2 yards per catch. He caught 37 of the 49 passes thrown to him when running just the first aspect of the route i.e. just the slant, not the slant and go, which lured defenders into sitting on the first move, allowing Meredith to explode by them."
It’s an impressive honor for Meredith, but even more so when you consider that he was a quarterback in college and only has three years experience as a wide receiver. For him to already have mastered one of the more difficult of the NFL route tree is a promising sign for his future in the league.
Meredith was forced into the lineup in 2015 due to multiple injuries at the receiver position and held his own with 11 catches for 120 yards. He was forced to play earlier than expected in 2016 as well with both Kevin White and Alshon Jeffery missing multiple games. Meredith made a significant leap in production, leading the Bears with 66 catches, 888 yards, and four touchdowns.
With the uncertainty over where Alshon Jeffery will play and whether Kevin White can stay healthy, it seems Meredith is primed for another season in the Bears starting lineup and possibly another leap in production if he continues to improve his route running skills.