This offseason, the hottest talking point for the Chicago Bears is what they plan to do with Justin Fields. Namely how they plan to build around him. Most understand that the second year is critical for developing a young quarterback. This is typically when teams start investing heavy resources on offense to maximize the potential for success. After three months of work, the consensus is GM Ryan Poles dropped the ball.
Though the 36-year-old added plenty of fresh faces at wide receiver and on the offensive line, few of them carry any sort of name value. Byron Pringle was the third-best receiver on his original team in Kansas City. Velus Jones is a 3rd round pick with one good year of production in college. Dante Pettis, Tajae Sharpe, and Equanimeous St. Brown haven’t been close to standout options in years. It is easy to be pessimistic about Fields’ prospects for 2022.
That is why many are urging Poles to stay aggressive in seeking help.
The trade market is still a viable option as buzz indicates multiple options are out there for the right price. Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report encouraged the Bears to pursue one particular name.
“The Bears should make the first call to the New York Giants, who may have a former fifth-round standout on the outside looking in at a spot on the depth chart.
The Athletic’s Dan Duggan believes Darius Slayton might have an uphill climb to make the 53-man cut…
…Last year, he saw a drop-off in target volume and production (26 receptions for 339 yards and two touchdowns) with the addition of Kenny Golladay, who signed a four-year, $72 million deal, and Kadarius Toney (2021 first-rounder).
The Bears should at least pick up the phone and gauge the asking price for Slayton, who posted WR2-level receiving numbers in his first two pro years.”
Slayton looked like a star in the making during his rookie year in 2019. He finished with 740 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games. Unfortunately, he became the victim of something Bears fans should know well. That is inconsistent coaching. Slayton has now had three different offensive coordinators since he arrived in the NFL.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
- Mike Shula in 2019
- Jason Garrett in 2020
- Freddie Kitchens in 2021
Combining that with erratic play from the quarterback position, it shouldn’t be surprising that Slayton couldn’t build on his early success. Now with the Giants focused on higher-profile options for Daniel Jones, his time there appears short. It might be worth the risk if the Bears could get him for a late-round pick.
Slayton fits what the Chicago Bears are looking for.
Poles said from the outset that his team would covet speed on offense, especially from the wide receiver position. The acquisitions of Pringle and Jones proved as much. Pringle runs in the low 4.4 range, while Jones ran a blistering 4.31 and the scouting combine. Slayton is no exception. Before being drafted by New York, he ran a 4.39 himself. His tape shows that speed on multiple occasions.
The primary concern with him is catching the football itself. Slayton had a reputation for inconsistent hands at Auburn, and that followed him to the NFL. Through three years, he’s caught only 52.1% of the passes thrown in his direction. Not all of that is his fault given the QB issues for the Giants, but anything below 60% usually indicates a receiver that doesn’t secure the ball as much as he should. Should that deter the Chicago Bears?
Not if the price is favorable.
Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy is no stranger to speedy receivers with iffy hands. He saw the Green Bay Packers make do with somebody similar in Marquez Valdes-Scantling. They felt his big-play ability was worth the trade-off. Adding Slayton to the mix alongside Pringle, Jones, and Darnell Mooney would give Fields an explosive array of targets.
