Are We Underrating the Importance of WR

[Tillman33]

His passer rate is 100+ in both of his seasons. I like JJ I think he is a very solid corner, he nowhere close to elite. Not enough game changing plays. Good yeah, great no. Pair him with a shut down corner that would upgrade the safety position too.

You know that’s a deceiving stat man. He could give up 3 catches on 4 targets for 34 yards and his passer rating would be 130+. Would you say that’s a bad game?

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

I am quoting myself from a prior post. This has been something that keeps circulating in my head.

OL is always brought up as a priority, which I 100% agree with but I feel like WR talent is often overlooked. How much of the development of the above guys is due to the talent available to them?

Most of those guys (Watson and Burrow) had terrible OLs to begin their careers. Calling them bottom 10 would be generous.

For Fields to take the next step, OL would be a tremendous boon, but we HAVE to get skill players on the edges for him. FO will need to go all in here.

I could add more QBs to this list who had success early like Dak, but how did have a fantastic OL and WR talent. He was able to start off with a boom.

The stone cold reality is this - even WITH better WRs, what difference does it make if your QB isn't given time to throw to them?

Priority one for any good GM is to protect their QB. The sage wisdom of always start building in the trenches is sage for a reason.

That doesn't mean WRs are NOT important - they absolutely matter as well.

But you take the same QB, and put him behind a stud O-Line and average receivers, and then put him behind a bad O-Line with great receivers, I guarantee you, he will have a much better year behind the stud O-line.

Fans like WRs because they like excitement. Flash. Explosive plays. But that is an element you add when you have a solid foundation laid down. If you try to add it without that solid foundation, you may find yourself with an overpaid WR who is frustrated because the QB can't get him the ball - because that QB is spending too much time running for his life...



Fix the O-Line first, always. Once your QB is protected, then focus on the weapons to take the offense to the next level.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Agree with you, but plenty of times we have seen time for Fields and limited to no separation from the WRs.

Maybe some of that is scheme but the QBs I listed developed once they had talent on the edges.

Lot of that was scheme, and also, a lot of times even though Fields had "time", he was getting O-line pushed into him up the middle. Our line guard to guard is awful.


For what its worth, a good GM can fix the O-line AND in this FA class nab a couple of WRs who will be "good enough" in the next iteration of offense in order to get a real offense working.


Nagy's offense was such an abortion that it was impossible to properly judge anyone.

 

[Broc]

To your last point doesn’t 1 tie into the other? He’s holding onto the ball too long more-so because his receivers are ASS, and can’t get open or create separation.

The root problem wasn't the lack of talent at WR tho.

The root problem in Chicago was Nagy's bush league playbook and complete inability to win the coaching chess match to setup big plays by manipulating defenses.

When you're running outdated route concepts that the defense can see coming a mile away because the coach is a one-dimensional hack that sucks at calling plays and hasn't made an adjustment in 4 years of being a head coach your passing game is going to look like hot garbage.

Hard to create separation when the coach doesn't want to run the ball or attack down the field and instead has the WRs running 3 yard curls all game into coverage that's just sitting at the sticks waiting to break on every ball thrown.

Prioritizing WR over OL is fool's gold.

I'll agree with you on this. As a priority fixing the OL and protecting Fields needs to be the #1 priority for the next GM.

The game is won and lost in the trenches and it won't matter who's at WR is they can't protect the QB.

That said, there a many ways to skin a cat. I could live with an early round WR provided they address OL, CB heavily in FA and with the other draft picks. It all depends on who's the best player available when their on the clock and who else they've brought in in FA already.

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

You know that’s a deceiving stat man. He could give up 3 catches on 4 targets for 34 yards and his passer rating would be 130+. Would you say that’s a bad game?

But he didn't, lol.. I like JJ I think he is solid.


JC Jacskon:

 

[Tillman33]

I’m not saying the Bears have an elite OL or anything, but fields takes by far the most to me to throw the ball. There’s some improvement there from an individual level that would enhance the value of some of our current OL

 

[pseudonym]

You can scheme away from an average OL, not sure you can do that with WRs unless you just want to run the ball all day. I agree on the fact we need big WRs, fast, can get the jump ball. And then maybe some speed for deep threats.

 

[Tillman33]

But he didn't, lol.. I like JJ I think he is solid.
View attachment 16789

JC Jacskon:
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touché, these are good points, although JC is other wordly lol. On that note, I’d gladly take him as a FA if the Pats don’t extend him.

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

touché, these are good points, although JC is other wordly lol. On that note, I’d gladly take him as a FA if the Pats don’t extend him.

Even without a succession plan for J.C. Jackson, the Patriots aren't likely to pay him

J.C. Jackson might stick with the Patriots through next season. Past that? He’s probably as good as gone.

patriotswire.usatoday.com

 

[dennehy]

I don't think the Bears have the resources to target at top tier CB in free agency this year, but there are several second tier guys right now who could be really good additions.

Anthony Averett, for example, had a solid year with Baltimore but they probably aren't going to be able to pay to keep him as CB3 when everyone is healthy.

 

[jsu34]

No. The dumbest thing they could do is prioritize WR over OL & CB.

We do not need to get players tailored for Justin Fields. Justin Fields is NOT the Chicago Bears. We need to augment players like Monty next year (which by extension helps Fields). Justin Fields hasn't proven he can carry a team like Mahomes, Herbert, Watson did right off the bat.

If you want a big improvement from JF, how about we stop coughing the ball up instead of looking for his Megatron?

Come on, man. Like or not, we are where we are. Fields is here.

I don't care if Mickey Mouse is the QB. You better get the rest of the Mouseketeers out on the field to help him.

This is a poor take to show your dis-pleasure at the QB. He's on the roster. The question was, what is the better focus to ADD to the team to help the "unproven as you say" QB.

I think WR, then OL.

Plus we need another CB.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

I’m not saying the Bears have an elite OL or anything, but fields takes by far the most to me to throw the ball. There’s some improvement there from an individual level that would enhance the value of some of our current OL

The fuck?

I'm not saying he doesn't need to get the ball out quicker, but a SIGNIFICANT amount of the time he was having offensive linemen shoved into his face at or before the 2 second mark when the average NFL QB is given about 2.6 seconds to throw.

 

[Chicagosports89]

I don't think the Bears have the resources to target at top tier CB in free agency this year, but there are several second tier guys right now who could be really good additions.

Anthony Averett, for example, had a solid year with Baltimore but they probably aren't going to be able to pay to keep him as CB3 when everyone is healthy.

Averett got abused in every game I watched. Maybe by the end of the year he got targeted less because he was the only original rostered guy still healthy

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Come on, man. Like or not, we are where we are. Fields is here.

I don't care if Mickey Mouse is the QB. You better get the rest of the Mouseketeers out on the field to help him.

This is a poor take to show your dis-pleasure at the QB. He's on the roster. The question was, what is the better focus to ADD to the team to help the "unproven as you say" QB.

I think WR, then OL.

Plus we need another CB.

His attitude may be misplaced on Fields, but he is 10000000% correct to prioritize O Line FIRST. Doesn't matter who your QB is - fix the O Line.

 

[Mdbearz]

I think you can find WRs in the draft outside of the first round, but the chances of finding a game changer is not likely. However, taking OL outside of the first round has a much higher probability of real success for a team over a longer career.

 

[Dejo]

So all I am hearing is we should sign Robinson, Gallup and Godwin for cheap.

Edit: Add DJ Chark to the mix

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

I don't think the Bears have the resources to target at top tier CB in free agency this year, but there are several second tier guys right now who could be really good additions.

Anthony Averett, for example, had a solid year with Baltimore but they probably aren't going to be able to pay to keep him as CB3 when everyone is healthy.

They do - I think I'd rather fill that position than what's going to be on the WR market is all I am saying. Or OL. Whichever they do choose, CB/OL then do bpa in the draft with the second round pick. There is some good WR talent in the third round that should be there. Metchie, Ross, Tolbert.

 

[jazzmcfunk]

Yes and no. Yes you need dynamic WR talent to have a dynamic offense, but no in that establishing the run game with Montgomery and the threat Fields' poses with his legs first and pass off of that requires a big beefy nasty line first and foremost. The smartest way to build your team is from the inside out as the game is ultimately won in the trenches.

In other words, I'm prioritizing my line right now over WR.

100% agree.

Finding a 170# - 220# guy who is between 5'9 and 6'4 and can run fast and catch is more likely to happen as opposed to finding someone who is over 6'5 and 300 lbs and athletic.

OL should always be the priority. WR's are much easier to find...

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

I think you can find WRs in the draft outside of the first round, but the chances of finding a game changer is not likely. However, taking OL outside of the first round has a much higher probability of real success for a team over a longer career.

I think the Bears should pick up 2 vet WRs in Free Agency. You won't find anyone too flashy, but you can get reliable productivity.

Fix the O-line, and you can create a stable environment you can build off of.

Plus with a monster O-Line, Monty and Herbert will go nuts.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

So all I am hearing is we should sign Robinson, Gallup and Godwin for cheap.

Edit: Add DJ Chark to the mix

I'd rather build from the draft - most FA O-Linemen are over-rated and over-priced.

Spend the FA $$$ on WR.