Chicago Bears Finally Fill The Chase Claypool Void At Wide Receiver

Trading Chase Claypool had to happen for the Chicago Bears. He was becoming a far bigger headache than he was worth. GM Ryan Poles made a mistake getting him from Pittsburgh, but at least he didn't let that mistake linger. Claypool was sent to Miami along with a 7th round pick for a 6th round pick. The offense doesn't seem to have missed him much. Justin Fields has eight touchdown passes in two games since he was deactivated. However, Poles still had to find more depth at wide receiver to plug his spot.

They appear to have found their guy, and he's fittingly a giant. Collin Johnson is a former 5th round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020. He's 6'6, 222 lbs, and has 29 catches for 377 yards and two touchdowns in his career. He has signed with the Bears practice squad, according to Jordan Schultz of The Score.

Johnson was a standout player at Texas. He comes from a football family and displayed excellent qualities as a big receiving target. People should watch his games against USC and Oklahoma for an idea of how exciting he could be. The question was, unsurprisingly, whether he could become more crisp as a route runner and work around his average speed.

Johnson can be an asset to the Chicago Bears in one key way.

He's a quality run blocker on the perimeter. One could say he is what Claypool should've been in that regard: a big receiver who wasn't afraid to get physical with defensive backs that are almost always smaller than him. The New York Giants cracked 100 yards rushing in each of the games where he had at least 10 or more blocks. Don't forget the Bears utilize the wide-zone scheme. This means their primary goal is getting running backs to the edges where they can find open space. The only way that works is if the receivers are willing and able to block.

So it isn't a surprise they were interested in Johnson. He can help with that right away. He'll also provide them with a solid big target they can use on 3rd down and in the red zone if necessary. Don't expect him to get much work unless injuries strike. The Chicago Bears seem content with the foursome of D.J. Moore, Darnell Mooney, Equanimeous St. Brown, and Tyler Scott. Still, keep the name in mind as the season goes along. They could require his services at some point.