Should the Chicago Bears trade for Deebo Samuel or wait for 2023 FA?

2023 Free Agent Receiver No. 2 for the Chicago Bears to replace Deebo Samuel: Terry McLaurin

With a career that often feels overshadowed, Terry McLaurin is one of the best receivers in the NFL. Plain and simple, when quarterbacks throw to McLaurin, the likelihood of that ball being caught is sky-high.

Similar to former Chicago Bears receiver Allen Robinson, the unfortunate reality of bad quarterback play has driven McLaurin’s career on a path unlike what most thought he’d do in the NFL.

Now, McLaurin is still a productive receiver, but with a quarterback that could throw him catchable balls, the sky is the limit for McLaurin.

In Terry McLaurin’s career thus far, he’s accounted for 228 receptions, 3,165 yards, and 16 touchdowns.

Along with what he’s proven with stats, the amount of acrobatic catches McLaurin makes is enough to make most NFL fans drool. The only place open more reliable than a 7/11 at 3:00 a.m. is Terry McLaurin when throwing to him. His hands just rarely miss. Watching the catches he somehow makes is the closest thing to real magic.

And as previously noted, these stats are all achieved with less-than-ideal quarterback play.

Terry McLaurin quarterbacks by season

• 2019: Dwayne Haskins (seven starts), Case Keenum (eight starts), Colt McCoy (one start)
• 2020: Taylor Heinicke (zero starts), Dwayne Haskins (six starts), Kyle Allen (four starts), Alex Smith (six starts)
• 2021: Kyle Allen (zero starts), Taylor Heinicke (15 starts), Ryan Fitzpatrick (one start), Garrett Gilbert (one start)

As seen above, rarely did McLaurin get matched with elite-level quarterback play.

However, given that Fields has a lot to prove, Justin Fields and Terry McLaurin could be an incredible duo, if McLaurin decides to take his talents elsewhere following this season.

There are other free agent receivers hitting the market next offseason, however D.K. Metcalf and Terry McLaurin are the two free agent receivers I see being willing to leave their current situation to roam greener pastures. And hopefully, those greener pastures are a bit windier and full of traffic: Chicago.