The Chicago Bears receiving corps took on an entirely different look in 2018. Maybe that's because it was an entirely different unit. GM Ryan Pace, with assistance from new head coach Matt Nagy, completely stripped and rebuilt the unit from top to bottom.
A group that was once Kendall Wright, Tre McBride and Dontrelle Inman became Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, and Anthony Miller. Quite an upgrade and that became clear on the field. The trio combined for over 1,800 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2018. Not bad considering it was their first years in the new offense and playing with Mitch Trubisky.
One would think this garnered them a bit of respect from the national media. Not so much. Conor Orr of the MMQB released a full power rankings of every wide receiving corps in the NFL going into the draft. His placement of the Bears says what he thinks about them, as well as their quarterback.
19. Chicago Bears ($29.8 / $185.6 million)
Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Cordarrelle Patterson, Anthony Miller
Patterson is scary in Matt Nagy’s offense—another speed mismatch to sweep across the line. Robinson will be just 26 heading into this season.
Chicago Bears receiving corps now has plenty of motivation for 2019
The added insult of the situation is who Orr had ranked ahead of them. Among them were the Giants receivers, a group that no longer has Odell Beckham Jr. in it. Then there's the Patriots led by Julian Edelman, Phillip Dorsett, Maurice Harris, and Bruce Ellington.
For real?
It feels like Orr weighed the quarterbacks heavily in the argument instead of just focusing on the talent of the group itself. Either way, this is the perfect sort of bulletin board material a hungry group like Miller, Robinson, and Gabriel need. Try to imagine if Javon Wims takes a step forward or they add another option in the draft?
Things will really get fun at that point.
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