Plenty of turnover has happened with the Chicago Bears roster in the past few months. One position that saw some action is wide receiver. They drafted Darnell Mooney in the 5th round. Then not long after they signed veteran Ted Ginn Jr. This has created a crowded situation on the depth chart, meaning it could be tough for those who made the team last year to do the same in 2020. One of those fringe guys is Javon Wims.
The former 7th round pick from 2018 has certainly had a couple of nice moments during his first two years with the team. However, thus far he hasn’t quite been able to seize on his opportunities. This upcoming training camp could be his last stand. He’ll have to make a notable impression with the coaches if he wants to make the team. Never mind getting more playing time.
To that end, the third-year receiver is putting in lots of work on the practice field. He’s training down in Florida with Jerrand Nesmith, a former Arena League player who now runs Back2Basics. It’s a sports training program that has worked with several athletes both domestic and abroad. Nesmith told Bears Wire that he’s seen progress from Wims.
“Javon looked great, very explosive, and very strong with his hands. Very precise with his route running. He knows what he is doing and how to react to different coverages. He has quick feet and he has great body control.”
Javon Wims has size and strength. Can he master the routes?
Wims always had two things going for him. He’s big at 6’3 and showcasing the kind of body control and strong hands that made it easy for him to win contested catches. The problem is there is a ceiling for players like that. If he wants to get serious looks in this offense, it’s all about the route running. West Coast-style systems demand precision and detail from receivers when it comes to their routes. That is why Allen Robinson gets such a heavy workload. He’s a master technician with his feet.
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Clearly Wims is putting in as much work as possible to get ready for camp. He is paying extra close attention to his feet, which look quicker than they have in the past. This is an encouraging sign. The next step will be implementing that on the field. It will be fun to see where his progress is at when the preseason begins.