The Bears are dealing with several injuries at wide receiver, which has opened the door for veteran Tajae Sharpe to make a strong push for a roster spot.
Sharpe, who started training camp on the non-football injury (NFI) list, has quickly established himself as a playmaker for quarterback Justin Fields in practice. And in case there was any doubt, it’s translating to live action.
In Chicago’s preseason opener against the Chiefs, Sharpe hauled in two catches for 44 yards. That included an insane sideline catch in the first quarter from Fields. Sharpe made a nice adjustment on the ball and hauled it in down the right sideline for a 19-yard reception. It was a heck of a throw and an even more impressive catch.
“Just kind of gave him a signal out there and threw the ball up one-on-one,” Fields said. “Of course preseason you’re going to see a lot of man coverage, so just gave him a shot and he came down with it. He’s a great receiver, has great ball skills, has great routes, so I’m excited to see what he does for us this season for sure.”
While Fields’ connection with Darnell Mooney needs no introduction, there’s a trust forming between Fields and Sharpe, who’s been a reliable target now in training camp and preseason.
“I think Tajae is a lot like Darnell where he can adjust to balls thrown at him and stuff like that,” Fields said. “Of course he has that savviness off the ball, and then of course he’s probably two or three inches bigger than Darnell, too. He has a good range. He has great hands, like I said before, great ball skills. Like I said before, I’m excited to see what he can do for us this year.”
Sharpe continues to show why he’s deserving of a roster spot. And considering the state of Chicago’s receiving corp, getting the seal of approval from Fields should certainly help his cause.
