The Chicago Bears clearly haven’t liked what they’ve seen from the bottom half of their receiving corps over the past two preseason games. Outside of Rodney Adams, nobody has stood out in any good way. Bad routes, bad execution, and dropped passes. So it wasn’t a huge surprise when the team decided to sign Isaiah Coulter. A second-year receiver, he was a 5th round pick for the Houston Texans last season before being among the first wave of cuts last week.
He was a standout from Rhode Island University, going for over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns in his final season there. That included an impressive 152-yard performance against Virginia Tech. A defense that featured eventual 1st and 3rd round 2021 draft picks Caleb Farley and Divine Deablo. So there was some evidence that he could compete against top-tier talent. According to reports out of Halas Hall on Monday, the young receiver didn’t waste much time having an impact.
Newly signed wide receiver Isaiah Coulter doesn't have a number assigned to him on today's roster sheet, but it looks like Coulter will wear No. 19. He is suited up for practice.
— Nicholas Moreano (@NicholasMoreano) August 23, 2021
Justin Fields responds by connecting with a deep touchdown to Isaiah Coulter. #Bears
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) August 23, 2021
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Speed is definitely a calling card for Coulter.
He ran a 4.45 in the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine. That shows up several times on tape. The fact he is also 6’2 makes one think he has lots of promise. Hence why Houston drafted him. The problem was he is raw. Route running and getting off press coverage were not his two strengths in college. Hardly surprising. It was believed he’d need some time to adjust in the NFL. Unfortunately, the arrival of a new front office and new coaching staff led to his exit.
Now he is trying to make up for lost time in Chicago. Final roster cuts occur on August 31st. Only one preseason game remains. That isn’t a lot of time for him to make an impact. Clearly, he is operating with a sense of urgency.
Isaiah Coulter can help his case in two ways
By getting open and by catching the football. It sounds overly simplistic but that is the honest truth. These are two things most other Bears receivers have done much the past two weeks. Chris Lacy, Riley Ridley, Jon’Vea Johnson, and Javon Wims have all suffered from those issues. Even Adams has failed to hang onto a couple of Justin Fields passes that should’ve gone for big gains.
This has left the door open for somebody to make a splash. Is Isaiah Coulter that somebody? He certainly hopes so. Catching a deep touchdown in his first practice is a great way to start. The key will be stringing good practices together this week and then making something happen against Tennessee on Saturday. It will be just the second actual NFL game action of his career. Coulter like all other 2020 rookies didn’t get to play in the preseason last year due to COVID-19.
So motivation won’t be a problem for him.
The kid is an easy story to cheer for. Coming from a small school and barely getting a shot with his first team before being released. Chicago is giving Coulter an opportunity to show the Texans they were way too hasty in letting him go. This will be one of the top names to watch this weekend in Nashville.