Need for a Speed Receiver Tests Bears Scouting
Speed is undeniably the most coveted trait in the NFL.
It's rare when you get players who can combine top-end speed with an ability to catch a football.
When the Bears cut Taylor Gabriel for salary cap purposes it deprived them of a popular player who had been nicknamed "Turbo" for a good reason, and one who has a scary history of concussions.
They need to come up with a speed option at receiver now and many of the draft options normally would exist but the Bears have several other more pressing needs for using their second-round picks, like an offensive lineman or cornerback.
There will be a huge drop in speed, athletic and receiving ability from the second round to the bottom of Round 4 where the Bears pick again after Round 2.
There are other speed receiver options out there short of making a trade for the man himself, John Ross, who hasn't really been much of a receiver but did run a combine-record 4.22-second 40-yard dash. He has 49 career catches in three seasons.
The Bears have been talking about dealing for Andy Dalton. Why not have Ross thrown into the deal, as well. It's not going to hurt the Bengals to deal him since he's in the final year of his contract and they'd only be on the hook for $2.6 million of bonus money while freeing up his $2.8 million in salary.
Trading for a receiver might require using a pick from 2021 because the Bears are low on anything but sixth- and seventh-round picks for this year. And they're not dealing a second-round pick they need at cornerback, offensive line or tight end.
There are other options in free agency, or players who likely will be in free agency due to cap purposes. Here are a few, although in some cases their production has been so poor they likely would have a difficult time taking playing time from Javon Wims and Riley Ridley even if they did run 4.3-second 40-yard dashes. 0
1. Marquise Goodwin
The 49ers' Olympic quality speedster has a deal expiring in 2021 and the 49ers have about half the money the Bears have available in free agency so they are likely to cut him. Goodwin has been in the league since 2013 when he came in with Buffalo and has had more than 29 receptions only in 2017 when he had 56 catches for 962 yards. Like any track athlete, it seems he has a never-ending list of injuries. He finished last year on IR with knee and foot injuries. After seven seasons you lose something off that fastball. Does he have enough left to justify any kind of a decent salary offer? He was making approximately what Gabriel had been making, even a little less.
2. Breshad Perriman
Tampa Bay's wide receiver is a free agent and could wind up with his fourth team in a five-year career. After making 33 catches for 499 yards as a Ravens rookie, he never panned out, and the Bucs had him last year when he registered career highs of 36 catches for 645 yards and six touchdowns. While those aren't big numbers, they're a big step up. Perriman once was said to have run a 4.22-second 40 in a pro day, although pro days are notorious for the 38-yard dash or tricked-up stop watches. His dad is Brett Perriman, the longtime NFL receiver. There might be a bigger market for him than most 36-catch receivers simply because of his speed, but he also has had a reputation for dropping passes. That could hold down his contract offers.
3. Damiere Byrd
A 32-catch, 359-yard season in Year 4 with the Cardinals followed three years when he did virtually nothing with Carolina, and he likely would be a low-cost option as a speed receiver. He ran a 4.28-second 40 at a pro day while at South Carolina.
4. Phillip Dorsett
The former first-round Colts draft pick never has put up big numbers but has been around 30 catches three times in five years and averaged 27 receptions in three years with the Patriots.
5. J.J. Nelson
A typical combine speed guy who hasn't been able to figure out how to use his gift consistently on an NFL field. The gift: 4.28 seconds in the 40 at the combine. He's available now to the highest bidder after making 81 catches for the Cardinals from 2015-2018. He caught only 44.8% of the passes when targeted. When he did catch it, his 17.8 yards a reception was definitely impressive. Nelson never fit in with the Raiders last year and played only 54 snaps.
6. Antonio Callaway
Here's one who is currently playing. And I mean right now. He's in the XFL playing for none other than Marc Trestman and the Vipers. He caught 51 passes for 675 yards and five touchdowns with the Browns in 2018 and 2019 as a fourth-round pick out of Florida. The Browns cut him in November of 2019. His 40 time was good, not ridiculous, at 4.41 seconds.
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