The loss of Alshon Jeffery, a player the Bears could have brought back for another season, prompted them to try to fill the void he left. They brought in two guys who have underachieved in their careers, at least at first glance, but may have other reasons for their lack of success.
Markus Wheaton, a former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver has been in the league since 2013. That was when he was selected by the Steelers in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft. In his time in Pittsburgh, he has caught just 107 passes for 1508 yards and eight touchdowns. He has had two seasons where he has played in all 16 games and has 22 starts in four seasons.
Wheaton was a victim of the Steelers having a very talented group of wide receivers (i.e. Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant). This is big reason why he didn’t see too many balls thrown his way or was very productive. Injuries also played a factor in his getting onto the field more.
Hopefully he can have some opportunities in Chicago and be a solid contributor.
Then you have Kendall Wright, a former first round pick of the Tennessee Titans. He has come to Chicago having been in the league for five years. He has a total of 18 touchdowns, 3,244 yards and 280 receptions. Wright only played all 16 games in a season just once in a season and went over 1,000 yards just once, both in 2013.
Trouble at quarterback early on in Wright’s career led to his not being targeted often. Injuries also affected his ability to stay in the lineup and more recently, the Titans relying more on the running game took away some targets.
So it’s possible that Wright could have somewhat of a “re-birth” in Chicago and finally show why he was a first round pick years ago. He still has something left in the tank and if Glennon can get him the ball, he could be a nice surprise for the Bears.
But right now, if you base what Wheaton and Wright have done in the past, you would wonder why the Bears picked them up. They appear to be poised for less than a stellar go of it in Chicago. Pace appears to be basing these two signings off of potential and need rather than production. Hopefully he hasn’t made an incorrect prediction on these two. Glennon needs some targets to throw the ball two and these two guys, along with some other lesser known and talented receivers, are it.
Don’t be surprised if both of these guys have a “resurgence” and are pretty productive in Chicago next year. If Glennon can get them the ball then they should do well. Number one(s)? No but they should help the Bears passing game if Glennon is any good.