The Chicago Bears made news on Tuesday after trading a 2024 7th round draft selection to the New England Patriots for wide receiver N'Keal Harry. Chicago adds another pass-catcher to their already deep wide receiver position just two weeks before the start of training camp. Harry joins a group of wide receivers on the Bears who had high potential coming out of college but never found success with their first team.

Ryan Poles Has Done A Tremendous Job Finding The Right Second-Chance Receivers

Since taking over as Chicago's new general manager in January, Ryan Poles has found low-level free agents that provide high upside. Although the Bears lacked resources in free agency and the draft to pursue elite-level pass-catchers, Poles has acquired several new players with the hopes of one becoming a prominent help to second-year quarterback Justin Field's growth in 2022. Chicago's general manager has signed Byron Pringle, Dante Pettis, Equanimous St. Brown, Tajae Sharp, and Harry. Each of these free agent wide receivers has flashed during their times with the teams that brought them into the NFL, as Harry was drafted in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Patriots. Pettis was drafted in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Poles' goal is to have one or two of the wide receivers acquired this offseason to find success with the Bears and become a potential piece to help with the Bears' rebuild. Pringle is projected to be Chicago's second starting wide receiver to begin this season and has the most proven resume of all the offseason acquisitions. Last season in Kansas City, the third-year receiver caught 60 receptions for 568 yards and five touchdowns. Surprisingly, the Chiefs chose not to re-sign Pringle as the team traded All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins this offseason.

Pettis and Harry provide the most potential upside due to their high draft status, despite not living up to the draft status with their respective teams. The former Patriots wide receiver battled injuries during his three seasons playing in a total of 33 games. Harry's best season came in 2020 when he caught 33 passes for 309 yards. The 2020 season is remarkable as New England had three different quarterbacks play due to COVID-19. Pettis is familiar with new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's offense as it is similar to the offensive scheme he played a part in during his time in San Francisco under head coach Kyle Shanahan. His best season was his rookie season in 2018, when the receiver averaged over 17 yards per reception and caught five touchdowns. Pettis's familiarity could give him a boost to stand out in Chicago's offense this season.

Bears Could Find An Unexpected Benefit Taking A Low-Risk On One Of The Wide Receivers

With Chicago beginning a rebuild in 2022, it does not hurt to provide a second chance to one of the wide receivers they have acquired this offseason. Pringle, St. Brown, Sharpe, and Pettis are all signed to one-year deals, while Harry only cost the Bears a seventh-round selection in the 2024 draft. In a year built on making sure Fields is growing as a quarterback, potentially finding a wide receiver that could be a play-maker after 2023 is vital. For instance, Harry's size could be extremely vital as he has now become Chicago's biggest wide receiver. A receiver with size will provide Fields a pass-catcher with a significant catch radius similar to former Bears receiver Allen Robinson. Although Chicago's rookie quarterback didn't attempt and complete several 50/50 passes, it is still vital to give him a receiver capable of winning a matchup against a defender based on size.

An ideal situation for Poles and Fields is to see more production from the entire wide receiver position, outside of their number one pass-catcher. In 2021, outside of Mooney, no other Bear receiver caught more than 38 passes or had over 500 receiving yards. For Fields to be successful in 2022, he will need either Pringle, Pettis, Harry, or St. Brown to be a consistent and reliable presence in Chicago's offense. For Poles, if even one of the newly-acquired pass-catchers has a successful season with the Bears in 2022, the general manager will be given high praise and credited as a savvy talent evaluator. Additionally, finding success with one of the cast-off wide receivers will free up resources for Chicago during next offseason as they will only need to add one elite-level player at the position during either free agency or the draft.

With the Bears projected to win five games this season, taking risks on cast-off players is a wise decision. The signings and trades for wide receivers this offseason have no long-term ramifications for the Bears and do not hinder their rebuild. Poles understands that his most important to improve Chicago's roster will come next offseason, but this offseason, he is gambling with low-level stakes that can pay out huge dividends.