The buzz around the Chicago Bears and SMU wide receiver Courtland Sutton is certainly louder than it has been in weeks.
Billy Embody, who covers SMU for 247Sports, recently tweeted that the Bears worked out Sutton and teammate Trey Quinn at the university’s practice field on Saturday, which represents the team’s second meeting with the receiver (the first came at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, when the team met with a handful of top WR prospects).
Note: Sutton was expected to work out for the Bears over the weekend, but the inclusion of Quinn also stands out.
For what it’s worth, Sutton appears to have been on the Bears’ radar for quite some time and has been a player of interest since – at least – December. And with good reason! Sutton has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons and has scored 31 receiving touchdowns since the start of 2015.
And even though he played in Sutton’s shadow, Quinn was one of college football’s most productive pass catchers last season. After two seasons in LSU’s run-game oriented offense, Quinn left LSU for the more receiver-friendly SMU and put up huge numbers. There, he caught 114 passes for 1,236 yards and 13 touchdowns, earning All-AAC honors. At 6-feet, 212 pounds, Quinn has his limitations and could be viewed as something of a one-year wonder. However, those perceived shortcomings could help the Bears land a Day 3 steal.
The idea of drafting a wide receiver left our minds for a while, after the Bears signed Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel, but the thought returned, when the Bears decided to not match the offer sheet Cameron Meredith signed with the Saints. So expect to see chatter surrounding Chicago and some of the top receiver prospects like Sutton to pick up as we race toward draft day.