Bears Who Should Benefit Most from Change of Scenery
Free agent acquisitions have a great amount to deal with when they come to a new team.
It's not quite like adjusting to the NFL as a rookie, when level of play is a problem along with new offensive or defensive systems. And then there's just living away in a new environment.
Still, there are adjustments to make.
And yet, a change of scenery can be just what a veteran needs if they're stuck in a bad fit.
By the time free agents switch teams the big question is how well they adapt to another offense as they've been there and done that throughout the league.
The Bears have three players in particular who figure up their production level over last year for various reasons.
Tight End Jimmy Graham
The Graham nay sayers will point to his diminished numbers last year as a sign he's slowed down.
It was also a sign Aaron Rodgers simply didn't throw Graham the ball enough. A quarterback in a new offense for the first time since the start of the Mike McCarthy era, Rodgers had trouble finding receivers open whether they were wideouts or tight ends.
Graham was targeted only 60 times, the fewest since his rookie season. He hadn't been below 75 targets since 2015.
If he had lost ability to age, his yards after the catch should have also dwindled. Instead, at age 32 his YAC went up by 1.7 yards a catch to 6.4.
In Chicago, it's likely Cole Kmet will not be a key contributor as a rookie because rookie tight ends rarely are for any team. It will leave Graham to take on the assignment.
New Bears quarterback Nick Foles is known for either going deep or taking the pass to the tight end. The tight ends in Philadelphia were his best friends. Graham figures to get more in this regard, as well.
Matt Nagy wants more production from the tight ends.
Also, Graham just sees it as an offense he can be a better fit in than Green Bay.
"It's just like Kansas City's offense and this is the closest I've gotten to being in an offense like back when I was with New Orleans," Graham said during his conference call with Chicago media.
It's all moving toward more catches and yardage for Graham even at age 33.
Getting beyond 38 receptions and 447 yards shouldn't be a difficult accomplishment for him, and if he needs more incentive there's those nay sayers lurking about.
Linebacker Barkevious Mingo
It was almost like the Houston Texans put Mingo away in a box for safe keeping and let him out only on special teams last year, so it's unlikely he could fail to surpass last year's defensive numbers while with the Bears. In the previous season, he started every game for Seattle as a 4-3 outside linebacker.
Mingo played only 7% of the defensive snaps last year after being in on 52% for Seattle and 47% the previous year for Chuck Pagano's final Colts team.
At least early in the season, Mingo figures to be a more vital part of the defense because rookie edge rusher Trevis Gipson is considered a bit of a project as a fifth-round draft pick from Tulsa but they obviously want him to ascend during the seaosn.
Mingo is taking on duties formerly performed by Aaron Lynch, who got on the field for 34% and 23% of the defensive snaps the last two years and was able to make five sacks with 17 quarterback hits. He was also able to commit seven neutral zone infractions.
So the opportunity is available easily for more Mingo to make a greater impact on defense.
Wide Receiver Ted Ginn Jr.
Barring injuries, it would be difficult for Ginn to attain the low numbers Taylor Gabriel had at this wide receiver position last year and it's also likely he'll get targeted more than Gabriel did. All of this should combine to help him go over last year's total of 30 receptions for 421 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bears targeted Gabriel last year 48 times when he missed half the games and played only 42% of the snaps. The previous year he was on for 77% of snaps and was targeted 93 times.
So if Ginn just stays healthy he figures to get at least 20 to 25 more chances than last year, even with rookie Darnell Mooney waiting to get on the field. Mooney will be more of a future project at first, anyway.
Gabriel averaged only 10.8 yards a reception as a Bears receiver, nowhere near what the Bears expected from a receiver known for his speed.
Ginn is also known for his speed, and it's a good bet he'll be able to hit well above those numbers and his own totals from last year even at an age when most receivers have retired.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
