Why Bears Need to See More From 2 Receiver Positions

One of the biggest offensive surprises for the Bears this season is how fast rookie Darnell Mooney has been able to contribute.

When you compare his contribution to how fast second-round tight end Cole Kmet has stepped into the attack, it's not even close. Mooney is a phenom by those standards.

The problem is while Mooney's contribution is better than many rookie fifth-round wide receivers can expect, it isn't quite at the level the Bears need from the position. And veteran Ted Ginn Jr. so far either hasn't produced or been given the chance to compensate for the difference in productivity between what Mooney does and the Bears need.

The real victim in all of this is wide receiver Anthony Miller, although it could also be as easy to call him part of the problem.

Mooney is fifth among all NFL rookie receivers in receptions with 15 and has played 59% of the snaps, while Ginn has been on the field for a small amount of snaps as and has three catches at this position.

The Bears had hoped to upgrade at the Z receiver position and evenutally this might be the case with Mooney because he's starting out with such impressive catch totals for a fifth-round draft pick.

No one taken fifth round or later of the 2020 draft has as many catches as Mooney.

However, he's being targeted and making catches at a worse percentage than the Bears got from the player he replaced—injury prone Taylor Gabriel. Gabriel averaged 5.3 targets and Mooney 4.6. Even if you add Ginn's six targets in it is less than Gabriel averaged in a season when he had two concussions.

Compare Gabriel's numbers to the position from 2018 and it's not close. Gabriel was on the field for 77% of the snaps then. Gabriel made 72% of his catches per times targeted in 2018 and the Bears aren't even approaching that percentage with Mooney or Ginn, whether it's Mitchell Trubisky throwing passes or Nick Foles.

Maybe the worst statistic of all compiled from the Z receivers is yards per catch. This was a problem with Gabriel for a player who was supposed to present such a speed threat to opponents.

Gabriel averaged only 10.8 yards per reception in his two seasons. And Mooney is averaging 10.7. Ginn has had only three receptions so it's meaningless to put much stock in his yards per catch but it's 13.3.

While getting Mooney involved as much as they have in the offense is a positive from the respect of player development—especially with a rookie—the Bears are suffering on offense from 10.7 yards per catch. It's a problem throughout their passing game when the quarterbacks are averaging 6.5 yards (Trubisky) and 6.0 yards per pass (Foles) and the receivers are catching throws for meager yardage.

If Miller had stpped up in his third season and taken on a larger percentage of catches, they could even have relied on him in the Z receiver spot at time. They could get more yards after the catch or yards downfield from Miller to make up the difference while the rookie receiver learns more.

Yet, Miller has played fewer snaps (54%) than Mooney and his catch percentage is a career-low 56.5%.

This situation is perplexing considering how much coaches have patted him on the back for learning the offense better and for realizing what needs to be done.

It's obvious the Bears need to adjust what's being done in the passing game and perhaps this happens as Foles settles in at quarterback. But there also has to be improvement from the receivers, and in their usage.

The long route Mooney ran to get wide open in the first half against Tampa Bay when Foles missed him by so much has to be a play the Bears start connecting on to be more effective.

They need more downfield gains in the passing game and more yards after the catch, and it's on Mooney and Miller to deliver at better rates than they have or there are other options.

It might not be too late to give Riley Ridley and Javon Wims better looks at those positions. Defenses are devoting so much coverage to Allen Robinson someone else must step forward to lend a hand.

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