Could the Chicago Bears be moving on from wide receiver Josh Bellamy?
It had been a four-year run where Josh Bellamy somehow continued to be one of the teams most reliable wide receivers on the Chicago Bears roster while still being an inconsistent receiver himself. A bit of an oxymoron.
Bellamy outlasted Phil Emery, who was the first to bring him along. He outlasted Marc Trestman and John Fox. However, Matt Nagy should be the one cutting the chord on Josh Bellamy.
Josh Bellamy was second in yards amongst wide receivers last season. Still, Bellamy already outlasted the leading receiver Kendall Wright and number three guy Dontrelle Inman.
This is supposedly due to his “special teams value”. The fact of the matter is that Bellamy played 101 snaps on special teams last season. That is 24% of the team’s special teams snaps.
He was 20th on his own team in special teams snaps. Ben Braunecker played more special teams snaps from week nine through 17 than Bellamy.
This is not a player you keep around for special teams snaps. Sherick McManis is a player you keep around for special teams snaps. He played 64% of the special teams snaps last season, 264 overall.
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The team added some special teams potential this offseason as well, so to say that is a reason to keep Bellamy at this point is foolish.
When looking at the wide receiver depth chart, who are the locks to make the team ahead of him?
Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Anthony Miller.
On top of that you would hope Kevin White and Javon Wims both present enough roster capability.The Bears could keep just five wide receivers.
They could keep a sixth. Still, the Chicago Bears also signed Benne Fowler, Marlon Brown, and DeMarcus Ayers. These are Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace, players. They signed Garrett Johnson as a UDFA and talked up Matt Fleming as a tryout player.
The Chicago Bears can find a player for the special teams snaps that Bellamy provides. They should have five capable wide receivers ahead of him, and five younger, and cheaper names behind him.
It feels as though this could be the end of Josh Bellamy. Still, knowing Bellamy, he is going to be introducing the newest Bears head coach in a few years as well.