If they want another veteran to square up opposite standout DJ Moore, the odds favour them pursuing Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans in 2024. The Buccaneers (-165) remain the favourite to re-sign Evans, but the Bears (+650) are the odds-on favourites to sign the five-time Pro Bowler if Tampa goes on.
Evans finished each of his first ten seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards, setting an NFL record, and in 2023, he had the third-most single-season receiving yards (1,255) of his career over 17 games for the Bucs. He also had a league-high 13 touchdown receptions, earning him Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro distinction.
Evans, at 30 years old, may be nearing the end of his NFL heyday, but he still a high-quality starter who may offer Moore with an excellent boundary mate and help raise the Bears’ passing offence in 2024. Chicago also has the financial wherewithal to sign Evans to a hefty multi-year contract during free agency.
According to Pro Football Focus, Evans is expected to sign a three-year, $69 million contract with approximately $52.5 million in guaranteed money. Meanwhile, the Bears have a projected $34.74 million in effective cap space and can free up another $21 million if they cut the contracts of a few more expensive veterans, such as left guard Cody Whitehair.
Mike Evans makes less sense than the high-end rookie.
The Bears would be doing a huge favour to their quarterback, whether it’s Justin Fields or a first-round rookie, if they put together a team of Mike Evans and DJ Moore. Moore would remain the primary receiving target, but the addition of Evans and tight end Cole Kmet would broaden new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s passing game.
Unfortunately, Evans’ predicted price tag could be a dealbreaker, even if the odds favour the Bears’ ability to sign him during 2024 NFL free agency.
The Bears have alternatives in free agency, including Evans, but they are also in a good draft position to explore investing a top-10 pick in a new star wide receiver. If they choose to keep Fields and trade the No. 1 pick, Ohio State’s Marvin Harrision Jr. is likely to be the main target, but LSU’s Malik Nabers and Washington’s Rome Odunze could also be in play with their second pick at No. 9.
Chicago could still invest in a free agent receiver, even if they intend to target one in the first round of the 2024 draft, but they are more likely to chase veterans who are less expensive than Evans and his estimated $23 million contract. Receivers such as Tyler Boyd and Curtis Samuel should cost less than $10 million per year and may make sense.
Kendrick Bourne, DJ Chark Jr., Odell Beckham Jr., Michael Thomas, and K.J. Osborn are all pending free agents who could appeal to the Bears as low-cost receivers.
What are the Bears’ non-first-round receiver options?
The Bears will almost surely invest in at least one receiver in the 2024 draft, but it is far from clear that they will select one in the first round. So, if they need pass catchers after the first round, who might be available?
According to ESPN’s most recent mock draft, LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. (No. 18), Florida State’s Keon Coleman (No. 24), and Texas’ Xavier Worthy (No. 32) were all picked in Round 1, but it is not unrealistic to expect one or more of them to fall into the second round. The Bears do not hold a second-round pick, but they are likely to get one through a trade, whether it is by trading back from the No. 1 slot or moving Fields to another team.
Georgia’s Ladd McConkey, Oregon’s Troy Franklin, and North Carolina’s Devontez Walker are also among the Day 2 projections and may all be viable fits for the Bears if they want to choose a receiver with a good possibility of making an impact as a rookie.
Of course, receivers may be found in more than just the first and second rounds. Look no further than Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua, who was the penultimate fifth-round pick in 2023 and caught 105 catches for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie. The 22-year-old is presently in contention for this year’s Rookie of the Year award.
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