3 Best Free Agent Slot Wide Receivers for Chicago Bears

Fans will start calling out any sort of player to be the Chicago Bears big free agent signing without considering their fit on the football field. When the team makes these decisions they have to consider how that player will work with Darnell Mooney, and also how they can add a player in the draft to match the duo.

One position the Chicago Bears have to add is a slot wide receiver. They need to find a primary X, but it is more likely that they develop one through the draft than find an X that gets away in free agency. However, slot wide-outs are not valued as highly and at times they can become a prized player in NFL free agency.

These three slot wide receivers could be a good fit with the Chicago Bears.

3. Christian Kirk

Christian Kirk really did not play the slot until last year, but last year was his best year with nearly 1,000 yards. Kirk not only had his best volume stats but had his best yards per target as well.

A lot of this can be attributed to his work in the slot. In 2018 he lined up in the slot 31% of the time. In 2019 it was 41.6%, and in 2020 down to 16.3%, per PFF. Then, the Cardinals finally let him go and play 78% of his snaps in the slot.

He averaged 1.8 yards per route run last season and averaged 1.41 in his first three seasons. The reality is that the team who signs him needs to stick him in the slot. For a slot wideout, Kirk is the best fit for Justin Fields, too.

His average depth of target was 12.1 in the slot, and 11.3 for his career. A typical slot wideout like Jamison Crowder is closer to seven yards downfield per target. Kirk is a slot who adds the deep field ability and that is exactly where Justin Fields thrives best. Fans may want to disregard the first. few years when he was used properly and realized that he could be a perfect fit with the Chicago Bears in the slot.