Chicago Bears: Does signing Marquise Goodwin mean the end of this WR?

The Chicago Bears made some minor headlines on Friday evening as the team came to an agreement with veteran wide receiver Marquise Goodwin on a one-year deal. I was a bit surprised to see the Bears make this move before the draft but I think it’s a good move.

https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1383196623950516230?s=20

Marquise Goodwin will be entering his eighth season in the NFL, spending his first four years in Buffalo and his last three with San Francisco. Goodwin was drafted by Buffalo in the third round of the 2013 draft.

He was a highly-touted prospect coming out of Texas with his speed being his best trait. Throughout his career, Marquise Goodwin has possessed elite speed compared to his most of his peers. Only a select few may have more pure straight-line speed than Goodwin.

Injuries really hurt his career in Buffalo but he started to put it together when he went to the 49ers in 2017. The 2017 season would easily go on to be his best as a pro as he caught 56 balls for just under 1,000 yards.

2017 has remained the only year that Marquise Goodwin would play in all 16 games. After that year he would not play more than 11 games in a season. He missed all of 2020 after deciding to opt-out due to the pandemic.

How will he fit into the Chicago Bears wide receiver room?

I think Marquise Goodwin is going to slide in nicely. If he can remain healthy, which is the biggest question, Goodwin can be a deadly deep threat capable of taking the lid off of the defense. Pair this with Darnell Mooney, who also has great speed, and the Bears have some great speed to go on offense.

The first thought that came through my mind when the signing was announced was what about Anthony Miller? Miller has been in trade rumors since the season ended and I think he will now find himself as the odd man out in this lineup.

I’ve always been a fan of Miller’s talent but his antics down the stretch may have taken him off of the team. Of course, Miller is still young and has some upside as a slot receiver but it may be time for a change of scenery.

While this move is by no means going to break the bank or be considered a splash move, adding Marquise Goodwin will provide a solid veteran presence in that wide receiver room. Overall I think this a very solid signing for the Chicago Bears.