Playoff Scuffle Appears to Be Costing Anthony Miller

Since the Bears are not bringing in a quarterback from Seattle who takes up more than $30 million in cap space, they might have more money available to toss around than they anticipated.

Because the Bears are playing with 30-something quarterbacks Nick Foles and Andy Dalton, they need to be surrounded by the best possible talent.

This includes wide receiver.

The Bears apparently have realized this and are trying to trade slot receiver Anthony Miller, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Of all the Bears with contracts who seemed on shaky ground this offseason, Miller had to rank No. 1.

It would seem they're attempting to hold him accountable for his playoff game fight against New Orleans Saints defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson.

Yet, on the other hand they gave a new contract to Mario Edwards, who had an assault charge and also a performance enhancing drug policy violation last year.

Miller engaged Gardner-Johnson in a fight after a play in the 21-9 playoff loss to the Saints. Officials tossed Miller for swiping at Gardner-Johnson. The ironic aspect of the scuffle was Miller had been telling the media prior to the game that Bears receivers didn't need to worry about Gardner-Johnson because his bark was harsher than his bite.

Making the matter worse was the fact the Bears were already without wide receiver Darnell Mooney due to an ankle injury suffered in the regular-season finale, so they were without both their second and third receivers for half the game.

It wasn't Miller's finest moment but his season had plenty of ups and downs.

Miller made late game-winning touchdown catches on deep passes against Detroit and Atlanta in Weeks 1 and 3, and in Week 2 let a big deep pass go through his hands against the Giants.

He had one stretch of nice games in the middle of the year but then struggled at times to be involved in the offense. When the playoffs were on the line in the final four weeks, he didn't have a game with more than two receptions.

Most likely they would turn to the draft and this slot receiver group is deep and talented.

Clemson's Amari Rodgers was Trevor Lawrence's go-to receiver last year and ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash last week at the pro day. His father, Tee, is the wide receivers coach for the Baltimore Ravens. NFL Draft Bible gave Rodgers a third-round grade.

Florida's Kadarius Toney displayed great speed and the ability to shift gears during a special final season for the Gators, and has been graded by NFL Draft Bible as a first-rounder. Many mock drafts have him available when the Bears pick No. 20 in Round 1.

Purdue's Rondale Moore has a first-round grade from NFL Draft Bible, although scouts seem divided on him because he missed too many games with injuries. Moore is also explosive like Toney.

Oklahoma State's Tylan Wallace is said to have run a sub 4.4 in the 40 at the EXOS combine, while Western Michigan's D'Wayne Eskridge wowed scouts with his blazing speed during a few great days of Senior Bowl practices.

The Bears would go for a receiver early. They did it with Miller. They traded away a fourth-round pick and their 2019 second-round pick to move up and draft Miller at No. 51 in Round 2 in 2018.

It seemed to be going fine, until last season.

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