WR Room - Speed over Size?

vabearsfan15

Well-known member
Joined:
Mar 12, 2013
Posts:
7,393
Liked Posts:
5,205
I personally rather go for size, but whatever. I still remember the one Trestman year where we had Alshon, B Marshall to go along with Martellius Bennett. That was the ideal receiving corp and the best one I've ever seen in Chicago. Too bad the defense was horse**** that year.

Now that I think about it Alshon is on the market....lol
 

TL1961

Well-known member
Joined:
Apr 24, 2013
Posts:
32,295
Liked Posts:
18,795
I personally rather go for size, but whatever. I still remember the one Trestman year where we had Alshon, B Marshall to go along with Martellius Bennett. That was the ideal receiving corp and the best one I've ever seen in Chicago. Too bad the defense was horse**** that year.

Now that I think about it Alshon is on the market....lol
Yeah, I wonder who Alshon will play seven games for next year.
 

TL1961

Well-known member
Joined:
Apr 24, 2013
Posts:
32,295
Liked Posts:
18,795
It's not a matter of WRs blocking instead of OL, it's a matter of WRs blocking downfield to turn short gains into long gains.
 

MikeDitkaPolishSausage

Well-known member
Joined:
Aug 12, 2013
Posts:
8,532
Liked Posts:
7,694
Location:
Black Rainbow’s Grandma’s house.
I personally rather go for size, but whatever. I still remember the one Trestman year where we had Alshon, B Marshall to go along with Martellius Bennett. That was the ideal receiving corp and the best one I've ever seen in Chicago. Too bad the defense was horse**** that year.

Now that I think about it Alshon is on the market....lol
That was one of the more fun receiving corps to watch. But in today’s NFL, I think speed is more of a threat than size.
 

pinkfloydster

Active member
Joined:
Aug 31, 2013
Posts:
724
Liked Posts:
464
I don't think it is a matter of Pace valuing speed over size. It's more that the broader NFL market undervalues short speedy receivers. Pace is happy to gobble them up at bargain basement prices. He has to have this mindset as he has traded away our mid round picks.
 

jazzmcfunk

Active member
Joined:
Jan 18, 2021
Posts:
145
Liked Posts:
110
I was a bit surprised that we didn't move to sign some UDFA's who had some height, or excellent measurables. Does anyone know if there a limit to how many UDFA's we can sign?
A coach of mine used to to say: "Tall doesn't get tired. Fast does." I would like to see a combination of both height and speed for our receiver corps.
 

vinson555

CCS Donator
Donator
Joined:
Aug 21, 2012
Posts:
1,584
Liked Posts:
590
Odds are there is few guys with size and speed out there to take. Randy Moss only comes so often.
 

jazzmcfunk

Active member
Joined:
Jan 18, 2021
Posts:
145
Liked Posts:
110
Odds are there is few guys with size and speed out there to take. Randy Moss only comes so often.
To clarify, I mean a mix of some tall guys and some fast guys to make up our corps. I agree; to be both with the intangibles is not something you're likely to get in an UDFA.
 

vanavyman

Active member
Joined:
Mar 12, 2013
Posts:
416
Liked Posts:
258
Pittsburg's model since they have had big arm Ben. Easier to find smaller fast guys.
 

vinson555

CCS Donator
Donator
Joined:
Aug 21, 2012
Posts:
1,584
Liked Posts:
590
To clarify, I mean a mix of some tall guys and some fast guys to make up our corps. I agree; to be both with the intangibles is not something you're likely to get in an UDFA.
I meant that period though, not just UDFA. Those guys you do get normally go round one and some of them are busts. I mean Patterson is 6'3 " we all know he is fast, but a WR... na man. Just more than size and speed makes a great WR1
 

rawdawg

Well-known member
Joined:
Apr 28, 2013
Posts:
8,013
Liked Posts:
6,542
If you look at the 2020 leaders in receiving yards (and take out Kelce and Waller at TE), the top 15 guys are all under 6'2" except for Robinson and DK Metcalf. And obviously, DK is also extremely fast. The only "non-speed" guys (over 4.5 40) are Hopkins, ARob and Devante Adams; and i'm pretty sure Robinson ran in the 4.4s as well. And that top 15 doesn't include Will Fuller or Julio Jones who would have been up there without injuries/suspension.

I think this is the way the league is going now. Even the 5 guys drafted in the 1st round this year were all 6' or under and sub 4.5 guys. You won't see the days of guys like Kelvin Benjamin going in the 1st anymore.
 

dentfan

No gods! No Masters!
Joined:
Apr 28, 2013
Posts:
4,803
Liked Posts:
4,229
If you look at the 2020 leaders in receiving yards (and take out Kelce and Waller at TE), the top 15 guys are all under 6'2" except for Robinson and DK Metcalf. And obviously, DK is also extremely fast. The only "non-speed" guys (over 4.5 40) are Hopkins, ARob and Devante Adams; and i'm pretty sure Robinson ran in the 4.4s as well. And that top 15 doesn't include Will Fuller or Julio Jones who would have been up there without injuries/suspension.

I think this is the way the league is going now. Even the 5 guys drafted in the 1st round this year were all 6' or under and sub 4.5 guys. You won't see the days of guys like Kelvin Benjamin going in the 1st anymore.
It is Darwinian: 6' 4" CBs are being drafted to shadow the tall WRs and TEs that are a mismatch on the shorter quicker DBs we've been used to seeing. So, now you get some jitterbugs and chuck the ball deep or kill them with agility.
 

NCChiFan

Bald, fat, toothless
Donator
Joined:
Mar 29, 2012
Posts:
10,720
Liked Posts:
4,973
Well, Bears did sign more speed today... Signed WR Damiere Byrd to one-year contract. 4.25 40 time is fast.
 

dweebs19

CCS Donator
Donator
Joined:
Aug 16, 2011
Posts:
9,049
Liked Posts:
5,569
I know people aren't fans of Miller, but the guy is talented. I saw this dude get open countless times with Trubisky consistently missing him. I know he's a headcase and maybe a fresh start would be better for him, but the man is talented. I think playing with Fields would be a fresh start for him.
 

WindyCity

CCS Hall of Fame
Donator
CCS Hall of Fame '19
Joined:
Dec 12, 2011
Posts:
30,816
Liked Posts:
35,721
We have been able to generate big plays or YAC for years.

It seems like they have finally noticed and are addressing it.
 

Top