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Stop All the Josh Bellamy Hate

By Bill Zimmerman

CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 10: Josh Bellamy #15 of the Chicago Bears runs with the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half at Paul Brown Stadium on December 10, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 10: Josh Bellamy #15 of the Chicago Bears runs with the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half at Paul Brown Stadium on December 10, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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It’s time for Bears fans to stop hating on Josh Bellamy and understand how he helps this football team.

There isn’t a player on the Chicago Bears 90-man roster that gets more hate than Josh Bellamy. Bellamy has quite a list of impressive drops over the past couple of seasons and it’s gotten Bears fans plenty angry.

Yes, it’s true, Josh Bellamy doesn’t have the best hands in the world, but he’s an important part of the Bears’ team. So much so that he’s a lock to make the roster. Yes, you heard me, he’s a lock to make the roster.

Bellamy was forced to play way too much at wide receiver because of the Bears’ woes at that position over the past couple of seasons, especially last year. That’s just not what his role is on the team. He did that out of necessity and for no other reason.

Josh Bellamy excels at special teams. Sherrick McManis has the label as the team’s best special teams player and while that’s probably true, the argument could be made that Bellamy is just as good, if not better. That’s why Bellamy is on the team. The Bears don’t actually plan to utilize him as part of their offensive plan, he’s only going to be called upon to do that in an emergency.

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When McManis has been forced to play cornerback, he hasn’t been great, all Bears’ fans would agree, but he also usually gets a pass because fans understand what he brings to table on special teams. Fans need to start having the same understanding about Bellamy.

If the Bears’ cornerback position was decimated by injury and McManis was forced to start and play 80% of the defensive snaps, he would struggle mightily. That’s the issue with Bellamy at wide receiver. Truthfully, Bellamy isn’t all that bad of a wide receiver to a degree. He can hold a block for outside runs and he is a crisp route runner who constantly gets open, but again, there’s that pesky issue about the hands.

With a beefed up receiving corps, Bears fans can relax. They aren’t going to be seeing much of Bellamy on offense (if at all). He’s on this team to play special teams and play them well. Bears fans need to understand his role and stop the hate.

Josh Bellamy isn’t going anywhere and that’s not a bad thing.

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