Braylon Edwards Rumors: Why the Chicago Bears Must Get in the Chase
Published by Bob Warja on August 3, 2011
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
Ex-Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards is reported to be in San Francisco tonight talking about a contract with the 49ers. But if I had my way, he’d already be in the blue and orange of the Chicago Bears.
Sure, GM Jerry Angelo signed former Dallas wideout Roy Williams. But unlike Williams, Edwards has the talent to be a true No. 1 for Chicago.
Meanwhile, do you know how long it’s been since the Bears have had a receiver top 1,000 yards in a season?
Marty Booker caught 97 balls for 1,189 yards way back in 2002. Yep, that’s the last time, though Johnny Knox came close last year.
And it’s a mostly young and largely unproven receiver corps for QB Jay Cutler to throw to. Again, Knox has his moments but he’s young and sometimes fails to fight for the ball like he should.
Devin Hester will never be a real good wide receiver despite his speed and elusiveness. The other guys are simply promises. Even Williams, who is a veteran, is a question mark
Williams caught just 37 balls for 530 yards last season. Admittedly, Edwards has just one season over 1,000 yards in his career, just like Williams. But he’s only 28 and is coming off a 904 yard performance in 2010.
Look, we all recognize that Angelo is probably more likely to stick a sharp pencil in his eye than to go out and spend money on another receiver.
But let me ask you a question: does it make sense to take the risk of a big trade where you bring in a QB like Cutler without surrounding him with the best talent available?
Alright, so the Bears missed on Sidney Rice, who would have been an exciting acquisition. But go out and grab Edwards and now the fans are pumped.
Edwards stands 6’3″ and with Williams, would give the Bears two tall wide receivers to go along with the smallish Knox and allow the team to end it’s Hester-as-receiver experiment.
Hester could focus on returning the ball and could also be used for trick plays. But in a season where the expectations are high, you must go for it.
Cutler is primed for a breakout year, and the Bears are coming off a visit to the NFC Championship game. Anything less than a Super Bowl appearance will be construed as a disappointment.
Plus, it’s not as if they don’t have the cash to spend. They are still sitting around the new floor of the salary cap, and could fit a player like Edwards in rather easily.
Again, I don’t expect it to happen. Angelo rolled the dice once, the question is will it turn up craps?
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