by As Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields enters a pivotal season for him and the franchise, there is considerable consternation regarding the receiving options that surround him.
Chicago’s new offensive coordinator, Luke Getsy, doesn’t subscribe to that thought. He’s confident the Bears have receivers who can become standouts, pointing to perhaps the best wide receiver in the NFL as an example.
“Everybody loves Davante Adams,” Getsy said Sunday, via NBC Sports Chicago. “Who wouldn’t want Davante Adams, right? That’s part of it. But Davante wasn’t Davante until it became Davante. I think the system will allow some of these guys to play to their potential. So, we’ll see.” what we can do. We will give them the opportunity to show them what they have.”
Those slated to get top priority for such opportunities are Darnell Mooney, who is likely the team’s No. 1 and has established chemistry with Fields, free-agent signings Equanimeous St. Brown and Byron Pringle and third-round pick Velus. jones.
St. Brown previously played for the arch-rival Green Bay Packers, so former Pack QB coach Getsy is familiar with him.
“I think ‘EQ’ had a tremendous year last year in his growth and maturity from where he was to where he is now,” Getsy said, via the Bears’ team website. “I was really excited that we were able to hook him up because I think all of his best football is ahead of him. He’s one of those guys, you talk about a great body, a guy that can run, his toughness and all that and all we’re going to do. to preach in this system, he is that expectation, he is that leader of that mindset.
Many Bears fans were hopeful the club would stock up on offensive playmakers in the draft, but Jones, a 24-year-old from Tennessee, was the only receiver added.
So far, Getsy has been particularly impressed by Jones’ approach and mindset.
“He’s all business,” Getsy said. “He came in a suit. He was ready to go. He takes great notes. He bought his own white board. He came ready. He was focused. So I’m excited. He’s someone who’s going to be all in, focused on trying to figure everything out. It’s a lot for all those guys right now, but I loved the way he came in, his approach.”
Fields’ intangibles have also stood out for Getsy.
“I’m very impressed with him, really,” Getsy said. “There’s no one in the building who works harder than he does. There’s no one who cares more than him. We’re off to a great start. He’s really taken on this challenge. We’re asking a lot of him to learn a lot of new things. It’s been a pleasure to work with him.”
It’s early in the process, obviously, and Getsy’s optimism that the team’s largely untested wide receivers can play up to (and hopefully beyond) their potential offers some promise.
Still, Adams was a second-round pick joining a stable of WRs that already included Pro Bowlers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb and, above all, an established ultra-talent at QB in Aaron Rodgers. It’s a very different environment in Chicago.
The Bears’ responsibility is supposedly to build around Fields and provide an environment for him to thrive. However, Mooney, entering his third season, is the most established wide receiver on the list, with St. Brown and Pringle offering experience with high-scoring teams, but they’ve never been substantial contributors (neither has had more than 50 catches). in one season).
There is a lot of pressure on Fields’ shoulders and now also on “the system” to prepare his receivers to take on the biggest roles of their careers.
