The Chicago Bears have added a veteran wide receiver. According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Bears are signing journeyman wideout Breshad Perriman to a one-year deal. The Bears are also adding defensive back Artie Burns to the active roster a day after his release, per Schefter.
Perriman was selected in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens with the 26th overall pick. He didn’t play at all his rookie year after a knee injury (he suffered a partially torn PCL) sent him to season-ending injured reserve. He played in all 16 games the following year, catching 33 passes for 499 yards and three touchdowns, but he had issues with dropped balls the following year in 2017, catching just 10 of the 35 passes thrown his way, and Baltimore released him in September of 2018.
He spent time with the Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2018 and 2019 seasons, respectively, and he spent the 2020 season with the New York Jets. He signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions in March, but he was released by the team on August 30. He didn’t stay without a home for long.
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What Does Addition of Perriman Mean For Rest of Bears WRs?
With Allen Robinson the team’s clear WR1 and second-year standout Darnell Mooney the obvious No. 2, the Bears’ wide receivers room gets a bit murkier after that. Veteran Damiere Byrd seemed to stand out more than Marquise Goodwin in training camp and throughout the preseason. The Bears added both this offseason, and with the addition of Perriman, it calls into question where all three of the veteran WRs fall in the rotation.
There’s also preseason hero Rodney Adams to consider. The feel-good story of Chicago’s training camp, Adams had 10 catches for 161 yards and a touchdown over Chicago’s three preseason games. His spot on the roster is now much more of a question mark than it was a day ago.
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Perriman Brings More Speed to Bears Offense
Perriman attended college at the University of Central Florida, and upon entering the draft, he ran multiple 40-yard dashes that ranged in the 4.19-4.25-second range. Bears head coach Matt Nagy has a perpetual need for speed, so the addition of Perriman — who appears to be in good health — is intriguing.
Perriman is coming off his two best seasons statistically. He had his best year in 2019 with Tampa Bay, when he caught 36 passes for 645 yards and six touchdowns. He followed that up by snagging 30 passes for 505 yards and three TDs with the Jets last year. An attractive aspect of his game that’s tied directly to his speed is his average yards-per-catch. Through five seasons, Perriman has averaged 16.5 yards per reception.
He has lined up both wide outside and in the slot (he has been featured in the slot role more in the last two seasons), so it will be interesting to see how Nagy uses him. One concerning aspect of his game? Those drops. Perriman has caught just 49% of the passes thrown his way over his career, and that’s a big reason he hasn’t stayed in one place for too long. We’ll see how he fares in the Windy City.
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Bears Signing Former 1st-Round WR to 1-Year Deal: Report