The Chicago Bears had a clear agenda this offseason regarding their offense. At quarterback? It was getting better. At running back? It was getting deeper. On the offensive line? It got nastier. As for wide receiver? It was getting faster. They seemed to accomplish that goal with their series of free agency moves. None more important than the acquisition of veteran Marquise Goodwin.
One thing that has made him a success in the NFL up to his point is his legitimate game-breaking speed. Goodwin is a world-class athlete. So much in fact that he competed in the actual Olympics back in 2012 as a long jumper. He won a silver medal at the Pan Am Games in 2015. This is a man who takes his track and field competition seriously. Despite being 30-years old, he was hoping to take one more crack at reaching the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
It didn’t go as hoped.
Though Goodwin has delivered good enough jumps to qualify at times this year, he couldn’t summon his best during the Olympic trials. He finished 19th out of 24 competitors for the event. A surefire sign of how stacked the field was this year. It’s also fair to wonder if he’d have done better if he was solely focused on track and field from the start rather than preparing for his return to the NFL after a full year away from the game.
Goodwin seemed to make those priorities clear during the trials. As he was preparing for his jumps, he was spotted wearing a Bears pullover. He represented his team quite well. No doubt he is excited about the season to come.
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Marquise Goodwin seems ready and eager for the coming season
While his Olympic dreams didn’t come to fruition, his hopes for making the final roster are in good shape thus far. Goodwin was spotted burning the Bears defense multiple times in practice. A reminder that despite his age he is still plenty fast. This is exactly what the coaches were probably hoping for. They have dreams of potentially pairing him with Darnell Mooney on the field, giving this offense some legitimate vertical threats.
Not only will this open up opportunities for more explosive plays down the field, but it also should help create space at the short and intermediate levels. Areas where Allen Robinson and the tight ends can gobble up easier catches of their own. This is why teams covet speed so much. It can benefit the offense in so many ways. For Goodwin, it isn’t a question of whether he can run.
It is whether he can stay healthy.
In his career to this point, he has played a full season just once. That was in 2017. The two years after that saw him miss multiple games due to health setbacks. So it wasn’t a huge surprise the Bears got him at a discount. That doesn’t seem to bother him. He’s grateful for the opportunity. He just had his first child after all. His motivation is greater than ever.
