One of the most interesting stories of the past decade in Chicago Bears football has to be Cam Meredith. He started college as a quarterback for Illinois State. Then he decided to transition to wide receiver. After some strong workouts, he signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2015. The first year there didn’t amount to much. However, Meredith was undeterred and kept working.
Then in 2016, it all came together. Despite a myriad of quarterback problems, the 24-year old led the Bears in both receiving yards (888) and touchdowns (4) that season. Fans and media alike were shocked. Had the team somehow just uncovered a diamond in the rough? It certainly appeared that way. Going into the 2017 season, Meredith had established himself as the undoubted #1 receiver for the offense.
Then everything went wrong.
During a preseason game in Tennessee against the Titans, he made a catch over the middle that seemed routine enough. However, one of the opposing defensive backs came in low on the tackle attempt. The timing was devastating as this resulted in him colliding with Meredith’s left knee as his foot stuck into the turf. The knee instantly caved, resulting in both a torn ACL and MCL, ending his season.
It was a devastating turn of events. Not just for the Bears but for the man himself. Meredith was never quite the same after that injury. Rather than potentially earning a new contract going into the 2018 season, Chicago decided not to match an offer made to him by the New Orleans Saints as a restricted free agent. It became clear almost immediately why that was. Meredith’s knee continued to bother him and he was gone from New Orleans after the season.
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Following a brief stint in New England, he was cut again. It looked like his football dream had died. Yet that may not be true yet.
Cameron Meredith is getting one more shot
The receiver spent the next two years working hard to get his body and head right. Rather than choosing to retire, Meredith wanted to see if he could still make a go of it in football. Knowing the NFL probably wasn’t going to give him a look, he decided to turn his attention northwards. After some work, he earned a new contract with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The reigning league champions no less.
Meredith is incredibly grateful for the opportunity according to Ed Tait of Bluebombers.com.
“I’m 100 percent in a better place physically now that I was (with the Patriots),” said Meredith. “Looking back now, I definitely needed that time to recover and time is precious in the NFL – the CFL, too – and if you’re not ready to play, other guys are.
“I’ve taken the last couple of years to sit back, enjoy time with my family and do the necessary therapy and treatment I’ve been doing like the lifting, the massages, everything. It’s been a non-stop 2 ½ year grind. I’d like to say it wasn’t for nothing because now I’ve got this opportunity to do something with it. I’m really, really excited, man.”
This story is so cool in a number of ways.
As it turns out, Cameron Meredith’s girlfriend was from Winnipeg. The two had decided to move there. That is how he first became familiar with the CFL. The Blue Bombers had prior knowledge of Meredith from his time in the NFL, particularly the Saints. That is what led to his tryout for the team and his subsequent contract. Sometimes things just come together in the right way.
It is going to be fascinating to see where things go from here. Will Meredith deliver a strong second chapter to his football career? It would be such a great story. Another reminder that sports can be beautiful and cruel in equal measure. If he has a chance to thrive anywhere, it’s the CFL where offenses are much more wide open and the field is larger. If he’s anywhere close to his 2016 form? He’ll do great.
