One thing about Matt Nagy is he takes every facet of his job seriously. Being the Chicago Bears head coach, most probably assume he keeps focused on two things. Working the Xs and Os and finding ways to motivate his players. While both are important responsibilities, his job encompasses far more than that. One that Nagy seems to take more seriously than most is acquiring talent for his roster.
Not only does the Bears coach act as a scout in all but name during the NFL draft process, he also takes it upon himself to be an active recruiter in free agency. A number of players they’ve added in the past couple of years cited Nagy’s influence as part of the reason they signed. The man isn’t afraid to be a salesman. No doubt a big reason why he almost went into the real estate business before coaching became an option.
Now he may have another opportunity to continue this trend.
It was announced two days ago that the Bears would be holding joint practices with the Miami Dolphins. No doubt Nagy played a big role in this. He understands the value of getting his players matched up against those from another team. A chance to see how another coaching staff operates in a practice setting as well. Not to mention one other benefit. The potential to recruit players he likes who might not make the Dolphins’ final roster.
One such name that will intrigue him right away is Albert Wilson. Bears fans probably remember him pretty well. He’s the guy who ran roughshod over the defense in 2018 during that blisteringly hot afternoon in Miami. A day that saw him go for 155 yards and two touchdowns, most of it after the catch. While that was a career day for Wilson, it proved to be the high watermark of his time with the Dolphins. The time since then has been overshadowed by multiple health setbacks.
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Now according to Omar Kelly of the Sun-Sentinel, his job is in jeopardy.
“But this league waits for no man. Teams are constantly working on adding talent, getting the roster younger, and cheaper, and the Dolphins made it a priority to add playmakers this offseason, signing Will Fuller to a one-year deal, incentive-based deal worth $10.6 million and selecting former Alabama standout Jaylen Waddle with the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
Pair those two newcomers with DeVante Parker, Preston Williams and Lynn Bowden Jr., last year’s starters, and Miami has a solid core of wide outs.”
Wilson’s run in Miami was derailed by two things. First was a hip injury he suffered later that 2018 season. Rather than get surgery to fix it, he elected to try letting it heal naturally with rehab. It didn’t work. He made it through just seven games in 2019. Then came the second setback. His decision to opt out of the 2020 season over COVID-19. So while he finally got healthy, such a long absence enable the Dolphins to potentially push him out of town.
Matt Nagy could be in perfect position to take advantage
There are two reasons to think the Bears head coach would be interested in Wilson. The first and most obvious is their connection. Prior to signing in Miami, the receiver spent his first four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. All of them while Nagy was an assistant coach there. Then there is the matter of the Bears’ slot receiver position. One that is clearly in flux going into training camp this year.
Anthony Miller was on the trade block most of the offseason. His status on the roster is questionable at best. Newcomers like Marquise Goodwin and Damiere Byrd could be options there though both are primarily known for being speedy outside threats. Sixth round pick Dazz Newsome is also an option. However, none of them have nearly the same proven track record as Wilson from that particular spot.
That is where Matt Nagy might come in. If he’s feeling uncertain about that slot position early in training camp, he could use those practices against Miami as a chance to reconnect with Wilson. That way if the Dolphins were to release him, the Bears could have the inside track to land him. Adding another veteran piece to their young receiving corps.
