The Chicago Bears aren’t viewed as one of the realistic contenders in the NFC this season. This despite still boasting a talented defense, a #1 receiver, and a running back that finished among the top 5 in yards last season. Shouldn’t this team be getting more respect? Not really. Not with questions continuing to linger at quarterback and the fact their offense was still among the worst in the league last season.
Could that perception finally change in 2021? That is certainly the hope. Much of it centers on their completely remade quarterback room featuring veteran Andy Dalton and 11th overall pick Justin Fields. It doesn’t stop there though. Some people are intrigued with what the Bears have done at the wide receiver position. While Allen Robinson and Darnell Mooney remain the 1-2 pairing expected to feature this season, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes they’ve also added a secret weapon of sorts that nobody is talking about.
Free agent addition Damiere Byrd.
“However, one offseason addition could really make Chicago’s passing attack go. The Bears signed Damiere Byrd to a modest one-year, $1.1 million contract in free agency. That minor investment has the potential to pay off in a big way.
Byrd was one of the New England Patriots’ only reliable pass-catchers in 2020. He finished second on the squad with 604 receiving yards, which was nearly 20 percent of the team’s production. He should slot in nicely alongside Robinson, Mooney and Graham to give Chicago’s passing game a little more punch than opponents might initially expect.”
Byrd has been a surprising revelation over the past two years. An undrafted free agent in 2016, he was used as little more than a special teams returner through his first three years in the NFL. Then in 2019, he signed with the Arizona Cardinals. There he posted 359 on 32 receptions from a rookie Kyler Murray. That drew the attention of the Patriots who signed him last season.
Despite a limited Cam Newton throwing the ball, Byrd still managed to top himself with 604 yards. Needing better depth for their receiver position, the Bears pounced on an opportunity to sign Byrd back in March. Thus far his presence has been felt in practices. He was seen already forming a connection with Fields. The spot to watch for him is the slot where he’ll battle Anthony Miller. Somebody who hasn’t been in the team’s good graces lately.
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Chicago Bears can use Byrd in a variety of different ways
One thing head coach Matt Nagy always covets is versatility. Somebody who can do more than one thing well. Byrd exemplifies that. Not only is he a solid receiver, he’s also proven he can be a capable return man. What does this mean? Basically, a coach can find creative ways to get the ball in his hands and he’s likely to do something good with it. A big reason for that is his speed.
Byrd can run. His ability to accelerate and hit that next gear is a big reason defenses struggled to deal with him last season. If Newton had any of his old arm strength from five years ago? It isn’t an exaggeration to think Byrd might’ve cracked 1,000 yards. The Chicago Bears don’t need him to do that. They just need him to take full advantage of the attention Robinson and Mooney figure to draw.
Something Miller just couldn’t do with any consistency.
Hopefully, Knox is correct. If Byrd lives up to his potential, then the Bears finally have a passing game that defenses will have to respect. Then it becomes a matter of whether the quarterbacks can find them. Dalton isn’t anything special but he’s had success. Fields is uber-talented with limitless potential. The ceiling of this group is sky-high.
