Chicago Bears: 5 Big questions regarding training camp

Third Question: How do the Chicago Bears replace Anthony Miller?

Much like Tarik Cohen’s absence, what does Anthony Miller’s trade mean for the Bears wide receiver room?

Chicago Bears note: Miller was dealt to the Houston Texans for a 2022 draft pick.

The Bears’ former second-round pick in the 2018 draft was sent packing his bags to the bottom of the NFL barrel in Houston. Miller’s trade was made official by the Bears on Monday, and a day later it appears the Texans traded for the slot receiver with pre-existing plans of their own.

One day later, reports indicate that the Texans are trading former Green Bay Packer slot receiver Randall Cobb back to the team that drafted him in 2011 for an undisclosed return. The move for Green Bay might have been the key factor in getting Aaron Rodgers back for one last season, but the fresh start for Miller could be exactly what he needed on a team bound to trail in games and throw a lot.

The trade for Chicago leaves Allen Robinson and Darnell Mooney as the clear-cut No. 1 and 2 receivers for the team going into training camp. There had been reports of the front office shopping Miller all offseason, but just 47 days before the season the team finally found a suitor.

Miller will seemingly be replaced by two veteran receivers signed out of free agency: Damiere Byrd and Marquise Goodwin. It appears the offense might choose to showcase Robinson out of the slot with Byrd and Goodwin, a receiver with track speed, playing on the outside for deep balls that Mitch Trubisky and company struggled mightily with during the 2020 season.

Bears fans had been holding out for Miller’s seven touchdowns he scored as a rookie, but four total touchdowns over the last two seasons derailed that hype train. Still 25, Miller proves to fill in as Houston’s slot receiver with Cobb likely gone and Brandin Cooks commanding the outside with either veteran Tyrod Taylor or rookie Davis Mills starting at quarterback with the team looking to move on from Deshaun Watson.

Byrd posted 47 receptions for 604 yards and one touchdown last season with the New England Patriots while Goodwin sat out all of last year. Chicago still has Riley Ridley, Javon Wims and rookie Dazz Newsome as depth. Newsome opens the season on the preseason PUP list after suffering a broken collarbone in early June that was reported to keep him out for two months.