Chicago Bears: 5 pass-catchers in free agency to help Andy Dalton

The Chicago Bears could sign a veteran WR

The Chicago Bears are all in for a Super Bowl. When organizations are all in, their best bet at quick and sustainable success is signing veterans to cheap one-year contracts.

Say hello to Golden Tate, who will be 33 years old by the time the regular season starts. Tate has always been an under-the-radar guy that has 695 receptions, 8,278 yards and 46 touchdowns to his credit through 10 years in the NFL. Even if the Bears don’t trade Anthony Miller, Tate is a tremendous receiver that Pace should sign because he gets open and can mentor a guy like Darnell Mooney.

Another guy that could probably do the same thing is Danny Amendola, but Tate provides more athleticism and personality that I think would fit this offense well.

Other names that stand out

I see guys like Antonio Brown or Larry Fitzgerald returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Arizona Cardinals. That means the Chicago Bears need to get creative, and as I said, these are all depth signings so there’s no immediate pressure to thrust these guys into action.

Dede Westbrook, WR

Still 28-years-old, DeDe Westbrook played alongside Nick Foles in Jacksonville and hasn’t quite lived up to his college hype. He played in just two games last season with the Jaguars, recording one reception for four yards, but managed 66 receptions in each of 2018 and 2019. Add in 202 targets during that time-span, this is a guy that flashed in Oklahoma and could resurrect himself with a new system.

Allen Lazard, WR

Bears fans remember Allen Lazard from his time with the Packers, but Green Bay hasn’t acted fast to resign the 6’5″ and 227-pound receiver. Lazard battled a core injury that held him out of six games last season, but provides a big body and catch radius that could help Dalton. Lazard also blocks well in the run game which can help out any NFL offense.

Chad Hansen, WR

Hansen turned it on late last year during a four-game stretch for the Houston Texans. One of those games came against the Bears in Week 14 when Hansen reeled in seven catches on seven targets for 56 yards. The week prior to that he had 53 yards and a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts, another good defense. Listen, this is a low-risk signing that could benefit the Bears in 2021 if he builds off of that late-season surge.