The Chicago Bears made a number of somewhat puzzling decisions when concluding their final cuts. One of them was carrying just five receivers on the main roster. A curious decision given how questionable their depth was, to begin with. It makes one wonder if GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy might be considering a dip into the waiver wire, seeking a cut from another team for help. Perhaps Justin Fields, their prized new quarterback, can steer them towards somebody who can help.
One of the surprise standouts of the 2021 preseason was second-year receiver Binjimen Victor. Despite playing just 28 total snaps for the Baltimore Ravens, he made the most of it with eight catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. Six of those catches resulted in a 1st down. He certainly did enough in games to warrant a roster spot, but the Ravens decided to waive him, much to the chagrin of several fans.
Playing a dangerous game exposing Binjimen Victor to waivers… https://t.co/DGq8Tn9ncA
— Evan Rhodes (@iamev_) August 31, 2021
When the Ravens finalize their 53 & inevitably put Bateman on the IR?
They should have a handshake agreement in place to bring back Binjimen Victor.
— AdamTBMore (@AdamBMore) August 28, 2021
Victor has always struggled for notoriety.
He was an undrafted free agent in 2020, signing on with the New York Giants for the year. Unfortunately, the preseason was canceled so he never got the chance to showcase what he could do. This past month was his first actual football played since the end of 2019. You’d never have known it from how well he performed. Expectations are Baltimore will try to get him onto their practice squad.
The Bears have an opportunity to prevent this. Victor’s biggest selling point is his size. At 6’4 with 34-inch arms, he has a massive catch radius. Something this team doesn’t have a lot of. None of their receivers stand above 6’2 and three of the five they’re carrying are 5’11 or shorter. So they could use a dose of size. There is also the connection with Fields. The two hooked up 35 times for 573 yards and six touchdowns in 2019. While Victor was never the go-to guy, he delivered quite often when the QB looked his way.
Justin Fields knows how to use size to his advantage
He’s already proven it multiple times this preseason. He is not afraid to throw the ball up and give his receiver a chance to make a play. His highlight-reel passes to Rodney Adams vs. Miami and Jesper Horsted vs. Tennessee are perfect examples. Having Victor’s 6’4 frame in the mix would make sense in that regard. The young receiver still has plenty to prove after his unfortunate lead-up to the draft last year.
One that saw him run a pedestrian 4.6 in the 40-yard dash and just nine reps on the bench press. This confirmed two concerns the evaluators had about him. His lack of true high-end speed and his questionable strength against press coverage. Not to mention his raw route-running. He was a prospect that needed work. By the look of things, he’s made some progress. An opportunity to work with Justin Fields again can be a good thing.
Then again the Bears may be seeking somebody more experienced.
There is a lot of things left to sift through before this roster can be called solidified. Too many questions left to answer. Wide receiver is one of them. If the team is looking for a decent #6 guy with some upside? Then Victor makes sense. His connection to their young quarterback certainly shouldn’t hurt his chances of getting an opportunity.