Chicago Bears: Wide Receiver Competition Is Heating Up

The Chicago Bears wide receiver position may be the most wide open its been in years and the competition is already getting heated.

As of right now there are only two players who can be considered locks for the roster. That being emerging standout Cameron Meredith and former top draft choice Kevin White. Beyond them it’s a seething mass of unknowns. An assortment of former Pro Bowlers and former 1st round picks. There’s any number of ways the depth chart could stack up and it’s making for difficult predictions.

That’s often when performance on the field matters most. Chicago just went through their first padded practice of the year. Some names wasted no times standing out. Others? Not so much. Here is a quick stock update for certain players as the competition continues.

Stock up:  Tanner Gentry 

Easily the most unexpected name to come out firing in early camp practice? An undrafted free agent named Tanner Gentry. The receiver was a star at Wyoming but didn’t come with any standout traits in terms of speed or size. All he did was make the plays when asked. A classic NFL underdog story. So the Bears gave him a shot.

He hasn’t disappointed.

Not only that but it seems Gentry has won the affection of fellow rookie Mitch Trubisky. Considering Trubisky is likely the future of the franchise, this is a great situation for the young receiver to be in.

Stock down:  Markus Wheaton

The Bears have high hopes that former Steelers receiver Markus Wheaton can bring a much-needed speed element to their offense. It’s why they gave him some decent money to sign. Unfortunately his impact thus far has been negligible. He’s made few standout plays on the positive end while coupling it with a slew of cringe-worthy drops.

Not the best way to make a first impression.

Stuck in neutral:  Kevin White

The frustrating thing with the former 1st round pick, surprisingly, isn’t his leg. By all accounts Kevin White looks to have some explosion and quickness. Maybe not where he was two years ago but further along than expected. The problem is his hands. He’s struggling to consistently catch the ball. For every 2-3 good plays he has, he follows it with an ugly drop. The first day of pads he had a sure touchdown slip through his fingers and it was intercepted. Concentration and confidence are two factors in such issues. Those should build over time.

Please remember that there are weeks left to go. Things change fast in that space of time. New names could emerge while those mentioned here could go in opposite directions. Best to let things play out a little longer before drawing conclusions.