Bears Blitz

Published by Paul Grossinger on March 9, 2012
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

The NFL’s free agency period is approaching and Chicago Bears fans are gearing up for their annual ritual: watching to see if the McCaskey family will shell out to fix the team’s glaring deficiencies.

That ritual is always a wild card and varies year by year: In 2010, Chicago shocked the world by signing premier free agent defensive end Julius Peppers (which has worked out beautifully); but in 2011, they did not fix either their terrible offensive line or acquire an elite wide receiver.

In fact, I distinctly remember nearly pulling my hair out watching as every top lineman and receiver sign with other teams, while the Bears traded fan favorite Greg Olsen and signed tight end Matt Spaeth, Roy Williams and Marion Barber. Needless to say, Roy Williams, most famous for being the centerpiece of the worst Dallas Cowboys trade in recent memory, was not the solution.

So, here Bears fans sit again, waiting with patient agitation to see what the team’s brain trust will do this offseason. But the team’s needs are crystal clear. Some defensive depth would be helpful, and an elite left tackle would be nice; but what the Chicago Bears desperately need is an elite wide receiver who can stretch the field and keep a defense honest. 

Collectively, the Bears’ wide receivers are not all that bad. Johnny Knox is super-fast and should settle in nicely as the franchise’s long-term No. 2 receiver. And Devin Hester is inconsistent but speedy, capable of brilliant catches and still an electric punt and kickoff returner. 

But the team does not have a true No. 1 wideout. In fact, the team does not have anyone on the roster who could even impersonate a No. 1 wide receiver. No other Bear player has both the speed and precise route running to be an elite downfield threat.

For that reason, the Bears should make a play for a top free agent receiver. Pass catchers take a couple years to mature, so the draft does not represent the kind of immediate solution the Bears need. Perhaps if they were picking in the top four and Justin Blackmon was available but that simply is not the case. The Bears could still select a future strong No. 1 in Michael Floyd or Kendall Wright but they need a top receiver right now. So free agency is the best solution.

It just so happens that there are several elite receivers who fit what the Bears need. Chicago should target Vincent Jackson, the San Diego Chargers’ mercurial but talented wideout, and sign him to a lucrative deal. Jackson is in his prime at 29 and has limited mileage due to a mix of small injuries and holdouts. He would give Jay Cutler the downfield weapon his special arm really needs and could put Chicago’s offense in elite territory. 

The franchise could go after other players. In particular, trading for Brandon Marshall, Cutler’s favorite target in Denver, could work. Other receivers are bound to become available. But Jackson remains the clear-cut best option, and the Bears should bite the bullet and sign him.

But, while they wait, all Bears fans will just have to sit there and pray. Hope that the team does not stand pat or cut corners.

Pray that “please, God, don’t let them sign Randy Moss.”

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