Ryan Pace Required Extra Receivers as Cover
In what seemed shrewd moves by Bears general manager Ryan Pace, he simply kept on adding wide receivers.
At least it seemed wise on the surface.
Their explanation is more speed for the group and it's possible that signing Breshad Perriman after signing Marquise Goodwin and Damiere Byrd will provide a big-play threat necessary to spread out defenses more.
By making late waiver wire signings, Pace was actually covering himself for the inevitable.
The real question about Goodwin and Byrd as Bears third and fourth receivers is whether either will last for the entire season. Neither one has a history of being able to stay on the field long, although in Byrd's case his health has been much more consistent the last few years.
Goodwin never has had a serious injury and retains much of his Olympic-class speed, but nagging smaller injuries have always followed him.
Goodwin had quad, hamstring and calf injuries in 2018. He was undependable in 2016 in Buffalo when he dropped 39 out of 68 targets. His 2017 season was a huge step in the right direction with 56 receptions for San Francisco and he played through a back injury but didn't get onto the field consistently in 2018 and 2019 for the 49ers before last year's opt-out.
With two smaller, less durable players who have sketchy pasts like this, it's appropriate then that they signed Perriman.
Then again, with Perriman they have a bigger, less durable player.
Perriman also has had problems staying healthy. He's started only 22 out of 63 career games, missed 17 all together and never made more than 36 catches. Ankle and concussion injuries cost him four games in 2020 with the Jets and in 2019 with Tampa Bay he missed two games with a hamstring injury. Before that in 2017 he had a knee injury and a concussion.
Nsimba likely will contribute little in the passing game, although he has the speed to do it. He was a punt gunner and kick coverage player who led the Rams in special teams tackles in 2020, but those were fairly non-descript special teams units. The Rams were 21st stopping punt returns and 30th covering kick returns.
So, the Pace approach has been to throw numbers at the position in an attempt to build speed/depth but not necessarily quality. At this point in a season it's about all a team can do when they lack salary cap space and aren't about to trade away their future for receivers who might not be required to play larger long-term roles.
The Bears' main receivers are Allen Robinson and Darnell Mooney. They want to go with more multiple tight end personnel packages this season, so having six wide receivers on the active roster and four more on the practice squad might not even really be necessary.
It's difficult to criticize a general manager for heading off potential problem areas with extra depth. It's just that Pace seems to have had problems covering other positions like tackle and cornerback with quality, proven starters let alone depth. Money for at least one of those extra receivers should have been designated for another cornerback.
The Bears have plenty of raw speed but it's difficult to say they have plenty of wide receiver speed.
That's what teams have with receivers who are fast, achieve high reception totals and score touchdowns in mass quantities.
The best the Bears can hope for is health for Mooney and Robinson, and some minor contributions from whichever third and fourth receiver doesn't grab his hamstring first.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
