With DJ Moore and Rome Odunze in place, the Chicago Bears may not consider wide receiver one of their biggest needs. However, if Keenan Allen were to leave in free agency, there would be a gaping hole in Chicago’s offense.
Luckily for the Bears, they have plenty of resources to make up for a potential Allen departure. They have four draft picks in the top-75 and nearly $80 million in cap space. But if Chicago is letting Allen walk in the first place, perhaps they are unwilling to spend big money on another receiver.
But even if that’s the case, there are still plenty of players in free agency the Bears can pursue. One of those is wide receiver Tim Patrick, who Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune thinks could be a strong fit in Johnson’s offense.
“This isn’t a major need with DJ Moore on a lucrative contract and Rome Odunze entering Year 2, but it is a need,” Biggs wrote. “I think the Bears could fill it with Tim Patrick on a modest contract.”
What Tim Patrick offers Chicago Bears
Patrick spent the 2024 season with the Detroit Lions, playing under Ben Johnson. If he were to join the Bears, he would at the very least have a strong understanding of the offensive scheme. That could lead to a quicker transition time to catching passes from Caleb Williams.
In Detroit, Patrick caught 33 passes for 394 yards and three touchdowns. It was an impressive showing after the wide receiver missed all of 2022 and 2023 due to a torn ACL and torn Achilles respectively. And it’s not like Patrick was the first option in the offense with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs in the fray.
But the willingness and capability to fill that role is exactly what the Bears are looking for. Tim Patrick isn’t Keenan Allen, and he probably wouldn’t be as big of a threat in the red zone. However, he is a capable receiver who knows how to find the right spot in the field. Clearly Johnson is comfortable throwing the ball his way.
Now two years removed from two serious injuries and coming off a fruitful campaign, Patrick is looking for his next opportunity. On the Bears, Patrick would slot in between Moore and Odunze, giving Williams another explosive playmaker to get the ball to.
No Patrick, No Allen, Now what?
While Patrick may have a connection to Johnson, his performance with the Lions in 2024 is sure to open up numerous doors. If Patrick signs elsewhere, Chicago must re-configure their wide receiver plans. That remains even more true if Allen is gone.
Their best in-house option right now in former fourth-round pick Tyler Scott. However, in his two years with the team, he has caught just 18 passes for 173 scoreless yards. His 2024 campaign saw him grab just one pass for five yards.
So while wide receiver may not be a serious need on the surface for the Chicago Bears, it could become a position of need quickly if the cards don’t play out in their favor. The Bears do have the resources in their favor, but they must also address both the offensive and defensive line.
Assuming Tim Patrick’s contract demands aren’t too high, he fits what Ben Johnson is looking for an offense. It won’t be as splashy of an acquisition as Allen was, but one that keeps Chicago moving forward as they develop their new gameplans.
But even though the fit looks grand, the Bears must be prepared to pivot should Johnson’s Patrick ties not be enough.
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