Bears Urged to Sign Ex-Texans WR Will Fuller

Getty Wide receiver Will Fuller is still available in free agency.

The Chicago Bears surely aren’t done refining their roster, and while there’s no way to fill every need they have with the remaining players available, they can still add a few quality free agents that could be solid contributors.

Wide receiver and offensive line are still among the top positions of need for Chicago after the draft and there are several options remaining for the team in both areas.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles has been relatively quiet in free agency since getting hired in January. He has added multiple receivers, including ex-Chief Byron Pringle and former Packer Equanimeous St. Brown, and he had made a key addition on the line with presumed starting center Lucas Patrick.

The Bears also drafted four offensive linemen (Braxton Jones, Zachary Thomas, Doug Kramer and Ja’Tyre Carter) and a lone wideout (Velus Jones Jr.), so the addition of receivers in particular feels necessary. One analyst is urging the Bears to take a gamble on an injury-prone yet dynamic WR who could give quarterback Justin Fields a solid deep threat.

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Bears Urged to Sign WR Will Fuller V

Jake Rill of Bleacher Report pegged former Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins wide receiver Will Fuller V as a remaining free agent the Bears should sign. The 21st overall pick for the Houston Texans in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft, Fuller had the fastest 40-yard dash time amongst all wide receivers that year (4.32 seconds) and he has established himself as a solid deep threat, averaging 14.7 yards per catch over his career.

“Even though Chicago selected Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. in the third round of the draft, its offense is still lacking playmakers in the receiving corps. Darnell Mooney will be the No. 1 option and Jones could emerge as a key contributor, but the Bears don’t have many proven offensive weapons,” Rill wrote on May 9.

“That’s why it could be a good idea for Chicago to sign a high-potential wide receiver who may not command the largest salary. Will Fuller V could fit that bill as he looks to bounce back from a tough 2021.”

Fuller, as Rill noted, should be affordable, which is largely due to his injury issues over the years. He signed a one-year, $10,625,011 deal with the Dolphins last year, but after appearing in just two out of 17 games in 2021, he shouldn’t command near as much in 2022.

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Injury Issues Have Plagued Fuller in His 6 Seasons

Fuller has missed 40 games over the last five years after playing in 14 as a rookie — which remains the most he has played in a season.

“If Fuller can stay healthy and get back on track, he could again be a big-time playmaker,” Rill added. “The Bears may want to take a chance on him at a low cost (if possible) so that Fields may have some better options to throw to in 2022.”

That’s a big ‘if.’ When healthy, Fuller can be a formidable target. In 2020, the 28-year-old receiver had 53 receptions for 879 yards and eight touchdowns in 11 games. He averaged an impressive 16.6 yards per catch and 5.6 yards after the catch that year, per PFF.

His injury history, however, makes Fuller one of the bigger risks still on the free agent market. He broke his collarbone and cracked his ribs in 2017, tore his right ACL in 2018 and broke his finger in 2021, while also suffering multiple different hamstring injuries throughout his six years in the NFL.

Considering the other free agent wideouts still currently available, including Jarvis Landry, Julio Jones and Odell Beckham Jr., Chicago might be best served looking at that list instead.