NFL Free Agency 2012: Chicago Bears Must Chase Saints’ Marques Colston
Published by Jeff Chase on March 7, 2012
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are desperate for a playmaking wide receiver, and no free agent presents a better option for the club going forward than New Orleans Saints stud wideout Marques Colston.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the feeling is that Colston will be moving on from the Saints with free agency right around the corner.
With the team deciding to use their franchise tag on quarterback Drew Brees, Colston is now a free man and can sign wherever he wants.
No place should sound sweeter than Chicago.
With the Bears, Colston could join big-armed quarterback Jay Cutler, who has yet to have a big-time receiver in his arsenal since joining the Bears in 2009 when he was traded over from the Denver Broncos.
Since the team traded Cutler’s No. 1 target in tight end Greg Olsen to the Carolina Panthers last season—as they foolishly bought into Mike Martz’s system for the long run—the team is now stuck in hole to fill that void of a consistent top target.
Colston has been a beast in New Orleans with Brees, and could definitely have a similar impact in Chicago with a guy like Cutler.
Despite missing two games last season, Colston still had 1,143 receiving yards on 80 receptions. Not to mention, he had eight touchdowns while averaging 81.6 yards per game.
The other fact that can’t go ignored is Colston stands at 6’4″, which is four inches taller than any other receiver on the Bears with the exception of Roy Williams who stands at 6’3″.
Newly appointed offensive coordinator Mike Tice could really benefit from adding a playmaking receiver like Colston, as that is how he had his most success in Minnesota with the Vikings when he had QB Dante Culpepper and WR Randy Moss.
The Bears will need to address the issue at this position either in free agency or the draft, but with the Bears having more than $20 million in cap space, it is well worth it to spend big money on a guy that carries as much potential as Colston.
It is all in new GM Phil Emery’s court right now and he is definitely going to want to make some big moves to make his impact noticeable in Chicago.
The Bears will start addressing their free-agent needs in the coming days, and their first stop should be at Colston’s door with a offer he can’t refuse.
Jeff Chase is a Featured Columnist for the Chicago Cubs and Arizona State football.
Follow @Real_Jeff_Chase
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