Bears Urged to Add Ex-Raiders Starting WR to ‘Replace’ Claypool

Getty The latest Chicago Bears rumors have floated former Raiders receiver Bryan Edwards as a potential target.

The Chicago Bears could use another experienced receiver in their ranks after trading away Chase Claypool, and the latest NFL rumors suggest there might be an ideal match for them on the open market if they want to take a chance.

Following Week 6’s games, Bleacher Report’s NFL staff identified “add now” targets for each of the 32 teams and singled out former Las Vegas Raiders third-round pick Bryan Edwards as an affordable option for the Bears who could bolster their receiving corps.

Edwards caught just three passes over seven games during his last regular-season stint with the Atlanta Falcons in 2022, but the 6-foot-3, 215-pound receiver finished with nearly 600 yards while in a better situation as a 12-game starter with the Raiders in 2021. He also won’t turn 25 until next month, making him a potential building block.

Bears Could Afford to Take Flier on Bryan Edwards

Even after trading an expected starter in Claypool, the Bears are not in terrible shape as far as their receiving corps goes. They have a verified No. 1 receiver in D.J. Moore and a quality No. 2 receiver — albeit, one who has struggled — in Darnell Mooney.

Tyler Scott, their fourth-round rookie, also saw a nice uptick in snaps in Week 6’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He played 21 snaps — the same number he played in the previous three games combined — and caught two of his four targets for 12 yards. His development will be important for the Bears’ long-term picture at wide receiver.

With Equanimeous St. Brown landing on injured reserve last week, though, the Bears might be looking to add more experienced depth to their receiving rotation. Edwards would give them a prototypical possession receiver to complement their smaller, faster group of starting receivers. He also proved to be an effective run-blocker during his first two seasons with the Raiders, which would be an asset after losing St. Brown.

Considering the Bears could probably get Edwards for the veteran minimum, why not bring him in as a rotational piece and see if he can take advantage of a fresh start?

Does Justin Fields’ Injury Change Approach at WR?

Putting aside the NFL rumors and suggestions about which players might appeal to the Bears, there is a good chance Chicago has no interest in adding to their receiving corps with their starting quarterback — Justin Fields — potentially sidelined for a few weeks.

The Bears confirmed Fields is “doubtful” to play against the Raiders in Week 7 after dislocating his right thumb in the 19-13 loss to the Vikings last Sunday. That means that undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent is the next man up and will make his first career NFL start this weekend, less than a year after finishing up his time at Division II Shepherd.

Now, Bagent has defied the odds thus far, pushing out veterans P.J. Walker and Nathan Peterman in his pursuit of the top backup quarterback job. Still, it is a tough ask for a raw rookie quarterback like him to jump into the starting lineup and command an offense that has already struggled to sustain success this season.

That’s not to say the Bears should not do what they can to help Bagent succeed in Fields’ absence, but it might be better to see what his strengths and his limitations are before adding another pass-catcher to the fold.