The Chicago Bears Already Have Blueprint to Rapid WR Rebuilds

There can be no arguing. The Chicago Bears wide receiver position will be the focal point for GM Ryan Pace and his front office going into 2018. Consensus is growing that they have something in Mitch Trubisky. A talent and personality the likes of which this franchise has not seen in three decades. Maybe more. That means their next priority is getting him weapons. No quarterback can thrive in the NFL if he doesn't have quality receivers. Aaron Rodgers is brilliant but a big reason why is because the Packers continually invest at the receiver position to ensure he's armed. The Bears are in a somewhat destitute situation. This is nothing new. Next to quarterback, receiver might be the most neglected position in franchise history. Dan Pompei of The Athletic painted a pretty bleak picture.

"The new era of passing began in the 1970s, but the Bears wide receiver with the most career receiving yards retired in 1967. Morris’ 5,059 receiving yards are first in team history, but 272 players in NFL history have more career yards, including 25 who are active. Morris is 17,836 yards behind all-time receiving leader Jerry Rice. Twenty-six Bears players have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. None of them got there as a wide receiver, or end, as they used to be called."

That's bad. It also has created sincere worry that the Bears won't be able to get Trubisky the targets he needs. Then again history says otherwise. (continue to next page)

Rapid rebuilds happened for Chicago Bears wide receiver position before

Despite their ugly all-time list, the fact is the Bears have shown an ability to overhaul the receiving position quickly. Meaning as in one offseason. That may sound impossible but then again memories of the modern fan are short. It has happened not once, but twice in the past 40 years. They took a bad passing offense and in a span of months set it on course for NFL success.

2012

• Traded for Brandon Marshall from Miami
• Drafted Alshon Jeffery in the second round

Say this for ex-GM Phil Emery. He understood what good receivers looked like. Chicago had arguably the worst group in 2011. Guys like Roy Williams, Devin Hester, Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett were their options. Sure they may have been fan favorites but they were far from elite. When Emery took over in 2012 he set about changing that. Things started with a bang when he traded two third round picks to the Dolphins in exchange for Pro Bowler Brandon Marshall. A month later he traded up in the draft to secure Alshon Jeffery out of South Carolina. The Bears passing game went from 26th in 2011 to 5th by 2013. Marshall and Jeffery both made the Pro Bowl that year. [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Erin-Andrews-with-Brandon-Marshall-and-Alshon-Jeffery.mp4"][/video]

1983

• Drafted Willie Gault in the first round
• Signed Dennis McKinnon as undrafted free agent

The Bears in the 1980s were always a running football team. Kind of obvious when Walter Payton was in the backfield. At the same time if they were going to become a complete offense they needed credible receivers. From 1980 to 1982 the Bears were 28th, 27th and 23rd in passing respectively. By 1983 they realized they needed to upgrade. Then Gault and McKinnon arrived. Over the next three years the offense finished 17th, 26th and 20th in passing. That 26th ranking was due in large part to starting quarterback Jim McMahon being injured. The improvement may not have been huge but it was significant. Gault and McKinnon became crucial to the teams' 1985 Super Bowl run. McKinnon caught two touchdowns against New York in the divisional playoff. Gault had a TD against the Rams in the NFC championship and 129 yards against New England in the Super Bowl. [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/6-Willie-Gault-Top-10-Fastest-Players-NFL.mp4"][/video] The point is this isn't some sort of mythical puzzle to solve. If Pace is smart and willing to be aggressive in 2018, there is a good chance he can set Trubisky up for success moving forward.