Chicago Bears: Who Stays And Who Goes? Wide Receivers

We continue to look at which Chicago Bears players return in 2023 by looking at the wide receivers.

We continue to look at which players Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles decides to keep or ship out. We first looked at running back David Montgomery. Then we looked at linebacker Nicholas Morrow. Our last look was at a number of offensive linemen. Next up are the wide receivers.

After the offensive line, the wide receivers unit likely undergoes a great deal of change. Quarterback Justin Fields needs good receivers to target. He just didn’t have it with the corps he had in 2022. They had trouble creating separation enough for Fields to feel confident. Additionally, they weren’t able to make plays when needed.

To give you an idea of how bad the wide receivers were in 2022, look at Darnell Mooney. Mooney came out of the gate slowly. In the first three games, he had just 4 catches for 23 yards. He heated up, however, as the season progressed. By Week 11, he had 40 catches for 493 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Then, in Week 12, he suffered an injury and missed the rest of the season. He didn’t make a catch or receive a target in that game. Despite that, he finished with the most yards by any Chicago Bears wide receiver. He finished second on the team in receiving yards (Cole Kmet led the team). The other receivers just didn’t have the talent to make any impact.

For now, let’s see which players should come back and who should not return.

Byron Pringle

Byron Pringle was one of Poles’ first free agent signings. He came over from the Kansas City Chiefs, the team Poles came from as well. He was a Poles favorite as evidenced by his sticking with the receiver after he got into legal trouble after the signing.

Pringle also had trouble on the field. He suffered a calf injury in Week 3 and missed seven weeks. When he came back, he wasn’t the same. He finished the season with 10 catches for 135 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Pringle showed that he could be a dependable receiver in his final season in Kansas City. In spite of being buried behind a lot of talented receivers, he still managed to make 42 catches for 568 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Poles wants to see Pringle succeed so he’ll give him another chance to show that he fits in Chicago. Expect him to return.

N’Keal Harry

N’Keal Harry has a long line of disappointed people behind him. He has so much talent and hope, but since he came to the league he has been a disappointment.

Poles traded a 2024 seventh-round pick for Harry. The thinking was that after three years of injuries and subpar play he just needed a change of scenery.

Well, he got that change but things didn’t change for him. In Chicago, it was the same old story. In 2022, he went on injured reserve twice. He missed 10 games and finished with just 7 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown.

Poles only gave up a seventh-round pick so his gamble wasn’t a big one. The question now is whether he doubles down on the gamble and brings him back. At this point, Harry has shown who he is. Believe it and cut bait.

Dante Pettis

Poles signed several wide receivers hoping that changing uniforms would inspire them to play better.

That way of thinking didn’t work. Dante Pettis is another one on the long list of disappointing Chicago Bears receivers. Like Harry, Pettis had a bright career ahead of him when he came out of college.

Pettis had a solid rookie season, making 27 catches for 467 yards and 5 touchdowns. However, he only had 25 catches for 272 yards and 4 touchdowns combined in the next three seasons.

In 2022, Pettis made 19 catches for 245 yards and 3 touchdowns. In addition, he returned 18 punts.

The one thing people remember about Pettis this season is the number of times he dropped key third-down passes thrown his way. Some good drives and scoring opportunities ended because of those drops.

Pettis could be the reason why Fields didn’t feel confident throwing to his receivers. Pettis received way too many opportunities in key situations than he deserved. He showed time and again that the Bears should have gone to other receivers.

Also like Harry, Pettis keeps showing who he is. Poles needs to believe him and move on.