Why this offseason is so important for Chicago Bears wide receiver Tyler Scott

The Chicago Bears were not expecting big things from wide receiver Tyler Scott in his rookie season, but you could make a strong case that he did not live up to those lowered expectations. Now, he enters an offseason that will be very telling based on what the team does at wide receiver. 

Chicago Bears offseason actions will tell fans how they feel about Tyler Scott

Scott was drafted as an outside wide receiver who was expected to transition into the slot. He hardly ever played the slot in college, so it would make sense for him to take a year to develop. The Bears plan was to have him learn the slot behind Darnell Mooney, then Mooney would leave in free agency and Scott would step into his role. 

Things changed a bit when Chase Claypool got traded and Equanimeous St. Brown got hurt. It forced the Bears to lean on Scott on the outside. On one hand, this is not where he was expected to play, on the other, this is where all of his college experience came. 

Scott was pretty rough, posting 168 yards on 31 targets and 257 routes run. He put up a season-high 49 yards, and that was the only game he posted more than 19 yards in a game. Scott averaged 0.65 yards per route run. Of rookie wideouts with at least 15 targets, he ranked 25th out of 27 in yards per route run. 

So, the Bears could say that this year was a wash, and they expected him to struggle. Next year, he will start in the slot as they planned. Or, they could be concerned. The Chicago Bears will add at least one starting wideout, but if they add two or even a third name that could compete, it shows that Scott is not trusted. If the Bears add a receiver specifically to play the slot, it shows that they do not believe in Tyler Scott. 

One player who should be watching what the Chicago Bears do closely this offseason is hard to be Tyler Scott. What they do will tell him how they felt about his rookie season and progress moving forward.