Justin Fields needs a guy. That has been apparent all season long as the Bears have blindly thrown darts at the wall trying to figure out how to get their passing game going.
Darnell Mooney? He didn’t gain any sort of consistent momentum and was lost for the year in November. Cole Kmet? Has his moments, but isn’t one of the few elite tight ends in the league. Trade a second round pick for Chase Claypool? It’s best if we don’t bring that up.
We’ve seen young quarterbacks struggle and then turn things around when they get an elite target. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles lacked an identity last season, and A.J. Brown fixed that. The same can be said about Tyreek Hill in Miami with Tua Tagovailoa.
The Bears have a laundry list of needs this offseason, but near the top of that list is a game-changing receiver, and these are four viable options they could target.
1
Chris Godwin (Bucs)
The Buccaneers’ downfall has been one of the stories of the season, and it could end with Tom Brady wearing another uniform in 2023. It seemed imminent that Godwin would sign elsewhere in free agency last offseason before Brady came out of retirement. If Brady does leave, it would be hard to imagine Godwin wanting to stick around. He’s a talented receiver that would garner a lot of attention on the market, and he would provide the Bears with a downfield threat, as well as someone who can win at the line of scrimmage and get open underneath.
2
DeAndre Hopkins (Cardinals)
It’s clear that the Cardinals have peaked in their current form. They are expected to move on from general manager Steve Keim, as well as head coach Kliff Kingsbury, potentially. This just months after both were signed to extensions. Quarterback Kyler Murray has also clashed with his star receiver. Hopkins could want a fresh start, and the Cardinals could use the capital that would come with moving him.
3
Jerry Jeudy (Broncos)
There were rumors around the trade deadline that the Broncos would look to move either Courtland Sutton or Jeudy. Both have clearly been frustrated all season as the Broncos have put together one of the most disappointing seasons of all time. While it’s likely that both could be moved, the Bears should key in on Jeudy. He’s younger, his route-running is fantastic, and he can be utilized on the outside, which gives Chicago the ability to keep Chase Claypool in the slot and rotate Darnell Mooney between the Z and the slot. Jeudy was a first round pick for a reason- he’s extremely talented. The lack of good quarterback play has largely held back a lot of what he can put on display. Pairing him with Fields would be instrumental for both parties.
4
Davante Adams (Raiders)
It looks all but guaranteed that Derek Carr will be in a new uniform in 2023. Combine that with the complete and utter failure that was the 2022 Raiders, and why would Adams want to stick around? At his best, he is a top three receiver in football that has proven to draw a ton of capital in return for his services. Plus, there is connective tissue with Luke Getsy. He was the Packers wide receivers coach from 2016-17, and was an offensive assistant from 2019-21. If the Bears are serious about Fields’ progression and taking a leap forward, they will make a splash and get Adams.
