The Chicago Bears offense became a different animal when they drafted Tarik Cohen back in 2017. Suddenly that had a player that was so athletic and so versatile that he could make plays in a variety of different ways. Yes as a running back but also as a receiver out of the backfield and as a punt returner. His ability to hit on a big play at the most opportune times was a huge part of their success in 2018 and was sorely missed last year.
That would explain why the Bears centered their focus on more explosive players this offseason. Players known for their speed and athleticism like Marquise Goodwin and Damiere Byrd. However, one player GM Ryan Pace singled out as a true Cohen-type is Dazz Newsome. The 6th round wide receiver out of North Carolina has so many similar qualities to Cohen. Both in terms of his infectious personality along with his varied capabilities on the field. Pace called him a “spark plug” the team was thrilled to get in the draft while talking on Bears All Access.
He’s not wrong.
Newsome showcased his wide range of abilities in 2020. He caught 54 passes for 684 yards and six touchdowns. Then he added 17 punt returns for 168 yards. Last but not least? He had two carries for 21 yards and a touchdown. So he did a little bit of everything at North Carolina. This despite never being the focal point for their team, always overshadowed by more celebrated teammates like Dyami Brown, Michael Carter, and Javonte Williams.
It’s little wonder the wide receiver carries himself with a chip on his shoulder. Always feeling like he’s overlooked and never appreciated. This suits the Bears just fine. They know what he is capable of. Pace has stated the intent to give him every opportunity to crack the starting lineup. Just like Darnell Mooney last year.
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Chicago Bears finally have more than one YAC guy
One of the persistent frustrations for the Bears offense in recent years is the inability of their skill players to generate yards after the catch. Ironically the only one who was consistently good at this was Cohen and he’s not even a receiver. Allen Robinson? Anthony Miller? Mooney? All proved solid at getting open to make the catch but rarely did much after that. This makes it difficult to string good offensive drives together.
By adding Newsome to the mix, their odds of generating more yards without the necessity of perfectly designed plays go up. He is the type of player who can line up all over the field. Just get him the ball in space and let him do what he does. His mixture of vision, quickness, and underrated power for his size allows him to give defenses problems. No doubt the Chicago Bears are imagining him and Cohen together on the field.
It is an exciting time.
Having one spark plug to deal with is hard enough for a defense. When it becomes two or three? That is when the nervous sweats start. Newsome is already turning some heading in practice and the real fun hasn’t even begun. These next couple of months figure to be entertaining.