One of a quarterback’s biggest challenges is making all of his receivers happy. And I can’t imagine that is easy for Mitch Trubisky to do, especially since there are 12 wide receivers, 8 tight ends, and 5 running backs on the Chicago Bears’ 90-man preseason roster. Then again, I cannot imagine the hurdles each of these pass-catchers has to clear in order to get Trubisky’s attention (especially when running routes against this defense).
And yet, one rookie seems to stand out from the crowd.
While speaking in his weekly press conference, Trubisky singled out fourth-round draft pick Riley Ridley as one of his favorite receivers to throw to in camp.
“I love throwing to Riley. He’s very savvy,” Trubisky explained. “He’s like (Javon Wims) a lot, where he can run the whole route tree from a lot of different spots. As a rookie and in his first year in this offense, he picked it up really quickly. You can tell he’s got a high football IQ, he studies a lot, he’s very competitive. He wants it really bad. You love to see that as a quarterback.”
It is good to see that Ridley’s offseason of hard work is paying off in bouquets of praise from his quarterback.
Of course Trubisky was going to love Ridley. A sharp route-runner who is smooth out of his breaks and possesses reliable hands is a quarterback’s best friend. And at 6-2 and 200 pounds, Ridley has the frame of a receiver who can make life easier for Trubisky when he drops back to pass. Because in addition to route-running excellence, Ridley could use his body to make contested catches, too. What’s not to love!?
It is also worth mentioning how Trubisky gives a nod to Javon Wims in the quote above. Trubisky and Wims really clicked in the Bears’ Week 17 win against the Vikings. Wims has since parlayed that performance into additional first-team reps during OTAs and mini-camps while Anthony Miller was sidelined. That Trubisky has taken notice of Wims and Ridley says a lot about what the two youngsters have done to earn his trust.
For more from Trubisky, you can watch his press conference in its entirety, as it is embedded below: