Rookie Expectations: Javon Wims
Can seventh round pick Javon Wims make an impact with the Chicago Bears in year one?
The Chicago Bears aren’t messing around with their wide receiving corps. After a 2017 season where the group of wide receivers Chicago had would make offensive coordinators nauseous, Ryan Pace committed to completely overhauling the unit. He added Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel and Bennie Fowler in free agency and drafted Anthony Miller in the second round. Pace also went back to the wide receiver well with his final selection, taking Georgia’s Javon Wims. Can Wims produce for the Bears? Let’s examine.
Best-Case Scenario
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Wims shows that the soft hands that the Bears loved are legit and he shows he can catch balls at the NFL level. He doesn’t run great routes, but under Matt Nagy, he significantly improves in that department. Wims can’t push the Bears top three (Robinson, Gabriel, Miller) but shows that he’s talented enough and jumps all the way up to the WR4 for the team. When the Bears key receivers deal with some injuries, Wims gets some time on the field with the offense and proves that he can contribute. He catches a handful of balls for about 250 yards on the season and even scores a touchdown. The Bears love that he comes into 2019 as their WR4 and they are confident that if any of their players are injured, Wims will be able to step up and contribute to the offense.
Worst-Case Scenario
Wims hands aren’t quite as good as expected and he has problems with drops, especially if he’s going over the middle and expects to get hit. He doesn’t run crisp routes and Nagy quickly gets frustrated with the lack of improvement he shows in that department. The Bears try him on special teams but he proves not to be aggressive enough to play the type of role that they need him to do. Wims doesn’t make the 53-man roster. Depending on how other young players play, Wims is borderline to even make the practice squad.
Odds Are
Wims shows that he has some potential but he’s a project. If the Bears do decide to keep six wide receivers, that means they’ll be keeping their main three and Josh Bellamy (for special teams). That means Wims, Fowler and Kevin White will be competing for two positions. The Bears decide that their current talents are fairly equal and decide to keep Wims on the 53-man roster as the WR5. Either White or Fowler make the team and are slightly ahead of Wims on the depth chart and the other is released. Wims shows some potential but doesn’t make much of an impact in 2018 and the Bears are hopeful that in 2019 Wims can improve enough to solidify himself as the WR4 on the roster but also plan on bringing in veteran competition for that spot in case he can’t.