Steelers Boot Former Bears Bust to Sign Another Ex-Chicago Starter

Getty Former Bears wide receiver Anthony Miller was cut from the Steelers on June 20.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are swapping out one former Chicago Bears starter for another in their latest series of roster moves for the 2023 offseason.

According to the team’s official transaction wire for Wednesday, June 20, the Steelers signed veteran inside linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski and released veteran wide receiver Anthony Miller to free up space for him on their 90-man offseason roster. Both players were Bears draft picks during Ryan Pace’s general manager run from 2015 to 2021.

Miller, a 2018 second-round pick and resounding bust for the Bears, played the first three seasons of his career in Chicago, starting 17 games and catching 134 passes for 1,564 yards and 11 touchdowns. After a season filled with mistakes and disappointment in 2020, however, the Bears opted to trade him and a seventh-round selection to the Houston Texans prior to 2021 in exchange for an additional fifth-rounder — which Pace’s successor, Ryan Poles, flipped during the 2022 draft in order to land both left tackle Braxton Jones (No. 168 overall) and running back Trestan Ebner (No. 203).

Kwiatkoski’s time in Chicago is remembered more favorably. The 2016 fourth-round pick drew the ire of fans throughout some of the rougher moments of his career, but he had a strong 2019 season for the Bears during the final year of his rookie contract, stepping up for the injured Roquan Smith and finishing with career-highs in solo tackles (56), tackles for loss (eight), sacks (three) and pass breakups (four).

Despite reports the Bears were “prioritizing” re-signing him, Kwiatkoski ultimately landed with the Las Vegas Raiders on a three-year, $21 million deal during the 2020 offseason. He had difficulty staying on the field for the Raiders, though, and was cut loose ahead of the final year of his contract after making 12 starts in 20 appearances.

Can Anthony Miller Make Mid-Career Resurgence?

Miller might be the latest former Bear to find himself on the hunt for a new job, but the trajectory of his career could be worth monitoring depending on where he lands next.

Thus far, the 27-year-old wide receiver has been entirely unsuccessful at recapturing the spark he showed during his three seasons in Chicago. In Houston, Miller suffered an injury prior to the start of the 2021 season and appeared in just two of the Texans’ first four games, catching just five of his 11 targets for 23 yards and a touchdown and proving inconsistent. The Texans then unceremoniously dumped him after Week 4.

Fortunately for Miller, he was able to latch on with Pittsburgh’s practice squad shortly after his release from Houston, but it didn’t yield much playing time. He was elevated to the game-day roster once for the Steelers in 2021 and then missed all of 2022 with a season-ending shoulder injury that he sustained during training camp.

While Miller did earn a one-year contract to return to Pittsburgh for the 2023 season, the Steelers’ trade acquisition of Allen Robinson II — another one of his former Bears teammates — in April pushed him further into irrelevancy on their depth chart.

Now, the Bears’ former second-rounder has reached a crossroads. At 27, he could still reasonably play in the NFL for several more seasons if he can prove himself a valued contributor for his next team, but he needs to find the right opportunity. Teams loaded with receiving depth won’t have much to offer him, but perhaps he can have a mid-career resurgence if he can join a roster with a thinner position group, such as the Atlanta Falcons — who employ the man who drafted him — or the Tennessee Titans.

Bears Have Zero Reason to Revisit Anthony Miller

Miller’s experience and previous bursts of competent play should tempt at least a few teams out there looking to fill out their receiving rotation for camp next month, but there is no reason for the Bears to consider a reunion with the former second-rounder.

Right now, the Bears are in a strong place in terms of receiving depth. They are set to have one of their strongest starting trios in recent history with D.J. Moore, Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool and have done a quality job at installing depth behind them, re-signing both Equanimeous St. Brown and Dante Pettis and drafting fourth-rounder Tyler Scott to compete for reps with 2022 third-rounder Velus Jones Jr.

At this point, it is possible one of the four depth pieces doesn’t even make the Bears’ 53-man roster. The two draft picks are likely safe; although, it is possible a poor showing from Jones in camp could convince the Bears that they made a mistake with him. If Jones can show moderate improvement after an inconsistent rookie year, though, it is more likely that either St. Brown or Pettis winds up on the chopping block.

Whichever way the Bears go, there simply isn’t room for someone like Miller unless an injury or two alters the composition of the group as it stands right now.