Necessity is the mother of invention. The Chicago Bears are finding that out more than ever before. The coronavirus pandemic continues to keep team facilities closes. No team has held an organized practice since the end of last season The league is trying to work out a way to finally change that, but it’s an ongoing process. Untill players and coaches can actually get together, players are required to absorb their playbooks however possible at home.
Most opt for the usual turning on of the iPad and just reading. That didn’t seem to suit rookie 5th round pick Darnell Mooney. The wide receiver out of Tulane needed to get a stronger feel for how each play is supposed to be executed. So he told Chicagobears.com of a way he invented that might help with that. Truth be told, it’s crafty.
“I record myself saying plays, all the plays we have installed,” Mooney said. “I have my headphones in and I’ll go to a field and act like I’m in a huddle and hear the play call and just line up and go.”
Mooney does more than just run routes during his daily workouts. He also catches passes from his quarterback at Gadsden High School in Alabama, Ahmad DeRamus, who spent the last four years playing at Tuskegee University.
“It’s helping me extremely,” Mooney said. “I get to catch balls. It feels very good now, just having the ball in my hands every day.”
Mooney plans to play for the Chicago Bears right away
That sort of dedication is probably why the Bears liked him so much. Most people just see Mooney as a speed guy. Since being drafted those connected to the Bears insist he’s far more than that. He run routes a lot better than he gets credit for. This nifty way of absorbing the playbook proves just how committed he is to honing his craft and getting better.
That said, Mooney has a big challenge ahead of him. Head coach Matt Nagy is not the sort who likes to play rookies in his offense unless he has little choice. Javon Wims and Riley Ridley were also later round picks and saw limited actions their first years with the team. The only way to change that narrative is to show the coaches he can run the full route tree effectively.
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This is smart step in that direction.
