The Chicago Bears signed Marquise Goodwin to a cheap one-year deal in 2021. Now, he enters free agency and will be in an interesting spot because the General Manager and the head coach that brought him into Chicago are no longer with the team.
Is there anything that Ryan Poles saw from Goodwin last season that makes him want to bring him back, or will this be a player that let him move onto the next team?
Chicago Bears should re-sign Marquise Goodwin
Many fans are going to question what they saw on the field, but not think about what he brings off of the field. Almost all reports from Goodwin out of training camp were that he took the room over as a leader. He was the veteran professional who made every rep count and set the tone.
No one is giving him all the credit for Darnell Mooney taking another step, but it is obvious that every team needs that depth wideout who can show the way for the younger players. Goodwin brings that.
Beyond that, he has the speed this team needs. Matt Eberflus told his players to get their track shoes on and he wants to be the fastest team out there. That can start with Marquise Goodwin leading the way and challenging his teammates to increase their speed.
Chicago Bears should not bring back Marquise Goodwin
As noted, outside of the locker room and practice field, he is not impacting games in big ways on Sundays. He caught a few long bombs against the Ravens, but one game resulted in 104 of his 313 yards on the season.
Goodwin is still fast, but at age 31, the younger bodies are starting to be able to knock him off of his path. With no real connection, this was another bad move by Ryan Pace, and it would make no sense for Ryan Poles to keep pieces from the last regime around, especially when they were not a great fit.
Goodwin is a leader, but Poles is going to bring in his guys, and the leaders will come soon enough. The year in Chicago was enough.