5 quality free agents still available for the Chicago Bears
By Evan Bruner
Chicago Bears free agent option No. 5: Will Fuller
Wide receiver might be the toughest sell of any of the Bears’ current position groups. Darnell Mooney has proven himself to be a capable receiver, but beyond that, there is a lot of uncertainty. Adding a receiver like Will Fuller would be beneficial to Justin Fields as well as the rest of the offense.
The case for signing Fuller
You can never have too much speed. The trio of Mooney, Fuller, and Velus Jones Jr. would be a nightmare for opposing defenses. Fuller has consistently been one of the best deep threats in football since entering the league in 2016. He has averaged 14.7 yards per catch throughout his career and had a career-high of 16.6 in 2020. Throwing downfield was of Justin Fields’ biggest strengths as a rookie, and adding another speedster would only help.
Additionally, Fuller is still only 28 years old and was playing the best football of his pro career before his suspension. Buying low on Fuller could prove to be a wise bet, as his limited availability has undoubtedly hurt his contract value. Fuller has proven that he can be a productive player in this league, and even if he isn’t able to play the entire 17-game season, he could be a valuable addition to the offense.
The case against signing Fuller
As well as Fuller has played when he’s been on the field, it’s worth noting the difficulties he’s had staying on it. He’s never appeared in more than 14 games in a season and has only appeared in more than 11 once. Fuller is coming off a 2021 season where he only appeared in three games due to a suspension, injuries, and personal reasons. Giving anything more than a cheap one or two-year contract to a player like Fuller would be a bit of a gamble.