The Bears invested in the wide receiver position like no other team in football this offseason.
In March, they traded a fourth-round pick to the Chargers for — and committed $23.1 million to — six-time Pro Bowl player Keenan Allen. In April, they drafted Washington receiver Rome Odunze, the FBS leader in receiving yards last year. And in July, they handed DJ Moore a four-year, $110 million contract extension, the largest per-year deal in franchise history.
Only two teams in the NFL have spent more in salary cap space on receivers this year. The result of all that investment? Bears receivers have fewer receiving yards this year than they did through eight games last season.
Lost among the hand-wringing about tight end Cole Kmet receiving zero targets Sunday and the Bears’ offense managing 10 points in the first quarter all season — both worthy concerns — is the fact that the unit that was supposed to be the strength of the Bears just hasn’t been.
Blame a combination of Shane Waldron’s clunky offense — how can guard Doug Kramer touch the ball in Week 8 but Kmet doesn’t in Week 9? — and the inconsistency of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
The Bears were prepared for the ups-and-downs of a first-year quarterback but tried to hedge against that by saying Williams needed to play point guard and distribute the ball to his skilled wide receivers. That hasn’t happened with any regularity.
It's been no better than what Justin Fields and fill-in starter Tyson Bagent did through eight games last year. Their receivers — Moore, Darnell Mooney, Tyler Scott, Chase Claypool, Velus Jones and Equanimeous St. Brown — caught 75 balls for 1,059 yards and seven touchdowns through the first eight games of 2023. Their play-caller was Luke Getsy, who has since been fired by both the Bears and Raiders.
The Bears’ 2024 unit — Allen, Moore, Odunze and DeAndre Carter — has caught 91 balls for 1,029 yards and six touchdowns with the No. 1 overall pick throwing the ball and Waldron, whom the Bears decided was their top choice out of the eight coordinators they interviewed in January, calling the plays.
The passing game is out of rhythm. Take third-and-10 from the Cardinals’ 11 about three minutes into the second quarter of Sunday’s blowout loss. Odunze lined up in the right slot and ran upfield to clear out an under route from Moore, who ran from right to left uncovered. Williams instead threw left into the end zone toward Allen, who ran a stop and go route. The ball fell incomplete, and the Bears settled for a field goal.
“If Caleb wanted to not throw to Keenan, I was right there for the touchdown,” Moore said.
The same players who thrived last year, with the Bears or otherwise, have struggled. Through Week 9 last year, Moore was sixth in the NFL with 735 yards and Allen was seventh with 720.
This season, Moore is 52nd with 374 yards — almost half his total from last year. Allen, who missed Weeks 2 and 3, is 126th with 197.
“You can say Justin had more reps when I got here than me and Caleb have, just him being a rookie quarterback,” Moore said.
They’re working on their on-field chemistry.
“Obviously it’s not in a place — from the past games — where we would like it,” Williams said. “Both of us, it’s frustrating because you’ve got a guy that’s so special, and not being able to connect and hit on certain passes is frustrating for myself. And I know it’s frustrating for him …
“We’ve got to figure it out."
The difference between this year and last is that Williams is expected to get better. His receivers need to give the Bears a return on their investment, too.
“That’s what it’s about, all of us doing our job and being perfect with that,” Odunze said. “That way we make it easier for the hardest position on the field, which Caleb plays.”
