Chicago Bears: Fallout from Marquess Wilson Injury
By Erik Lambert
Oct 20, 2013; Landover, MD, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Marquess Wilson (10) runs with the ball as Washington Redskins free safety David Amerson (39) makes the tackle in the third quarter at FedEx Field. The Redskins won 45-41. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
A broke clavicle has left Chicago Bears receiver Marquess Wilson out for awhile. What is the expected fallout of his exit?
Josh Morgan now battling Eric Weems for #3 spot
It really is unfortunate for Wilson who looked very good throughout camp. He was ready to give the Bears offense a new dimension. Now he must work his way back. In the meantime, the team must adjust to his absence, which means finding out who will fill the #3 receiver spot. Based on practice performance it likely will boil down to two names. Regular reserve and special teams ace Eric Weems has looked mighty good on offense since the pads went on, hinting he may be ready to step on. The other is veteran free agent Josh Morgan who has had success in the past and by the admission of sources inside the organization has “sure hands.” The preseason will tell a lot.
Santonio Holmes among veteran free agents
Whenever a notable player goes down, it’s important to keep a close watch on the free agency circuit. More often than not teams like to bring in veteran free agents as temporary fill-ins to help the unit stay on track. For the Chicago Bears, they have an interesting number of options out there still without a team. Easily the most recognizable name is Santonio Holmes. The former Super Bowl MVP just turned 30 in March so he’s not too far gone in age. He’s had ample time to fully recover from a foot injury that sidelined him back in 2012. If his asking price isn’t too high, he would make a very nice insurance policy if Weems or Morgan can’t cut it.
Keep very careful watch on Jermichael Finley
Another thing to note is head coach Marc Trestman. He is no stranger to experience tough injuries on his offense and has shown a knack for adjusting his offensive schemes to handle such problems. A good example comes from his days in Canada when at one point his offense featured three tight ends on the field. Much of this was due to injuries to his wide receivers. In other words, with Wilson out Trestman could look to adjust his passing attack by featuring more two tight end sets. He already has one target in Martellus Bennett. The problem is there may not be another on the roster.
That is why as the dust settles from the Marquess Wilson event, it’s important that people don’t just watch the receivers on the free agent market. In case anybody forgot, Jermichael Finley still hovers out there in the background, waiting for the right time to make his own return. The former Packer was a dynamic threat in the passing game when healthy and is only 27-years old. He would make a fine addition to the Chicago Bears attack (at the right price).