Bears Urged To Gamble On This Wild Card Free Agent

Would the Chicago Bears sign Michael Floyd? Now there's a question many fans probably never really thought about. In fact they likely still thought he was employed by the New England Patriots. Understandable since that's the last place anybody saw the 27-year old wide receiver. However, he is indeed available on the free agent market. That brings back the initial question. Would or should the Bears consider bringing him aboard? On the surface it may not look necessary. Their current depth chart may not have Alshon Jeffery anymore, but it still seems to have an intriguing mix of young talents.

• Kevin White
• Cameron Meredith
• Markus Wheaton
• Kendall Wright
• Rueben Randle
• Eddie Royal
• Deonte Thompson
• Josh Bellamy
• Daniel Braverman

At the same time few of those players listed are proven. White, Wheaton and Royal are all coming off an injury-plagued 2016 season. Meredith had a minor breakout year but is still young. Randle wasn't even in the league. Thompson and Bellamy are special teams guys and Braverman spent most of his rookie year on the practice squad.

Should the Bears sign Michael Floyd?

There is no question Floyd brings some baggage with him, but also some serious ability. When he's on his game he can be a serious playmaker. That is why Gary Davenport of the Bleacher Report believes Chicago should consider signing him. The risk is worth the potential reward.

"Given Michael Floyd's off-field issues, it's understandable that he's yet to find a new home. As ESPN.com's Adam Schefter reported in December, Floyd is looking at a multi-game suspension for the DUI arrest that led to his release by the Arizona Cardinals.

However, Floyd is also a big-bodied burner with three 800-yard seasons in five years, including a 1,000-yard campaign in 2013 in which he averaged 16 yards a reception.

Signing Floyd would be risky. But the Bears have plenty of cap space (over $25 million per Spotrac), and the contract could be structured in a way that costs the Bears next to nothing if Floyd makes another misstep."

Money would not be the issue with Floyd. He'll likely take any deal at this point since most teams are steering clear. It's not just the DUI arrest that bothers some people. There are rumors, true or not, that he has issues with work ethic. He's been labeled as a bit lazy at times, which is a big reason he hasn't taken off despite his clear talent. Yet when watching plays like this, it's hard to wonder where those rumors came from.

When he sets his mind to it, Floyd has shown he can be that trustworthy target in key situations. He's still young and young guys make mistakes. That's nothing new. Perhaps playing in the shadow of a future Hall of Famer like Larry Fitzgerald was finally too much for him. Understandable. Nobody likes to live with that sort of pressure. He'd have no problems like that in Chicago. This franchise hasn't had anything close to a Fitzgerald maybe ever. He would also be closer to home, having been born in St. Paul, Minnesota. Not to mention his old stomping grounds at Notre Dame. Indeed there are plenty of logical reasons for the Bears to sign him. The big road block of course is the character concerns. GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox have put a lot of effort into changing the locker room culture for the Bears. They've focused heavily on players with clean backgrounds who are all about football. Floyd doesn't fit that description. So it would take some convincing. Nonetheless, it's an intriguing idea. Perhaps one that might happen depending on how the draft shakes out.