The free agent market might be chilly, with a lack of movement and minimal contract dollars being thrown out freely by teams. But where some see a problem, others could see an opportunity. And in the case of the Chicago Bears, there are windows in which they can improve their offense with some timely additions.
Perhaps one of them could be an option who played in Buffalo’s highly touted scheme:
Per source, #Bears are among teams that have shown interest in intriguing playmaking option Isaiah McKenzie. the 5-foot-8 receiver caught 30 passes and five touchdowns for the #Bills last season.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 19, 2021
ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler tweets the Bears are among the teams kicking the tires on free agent receiver Isaiah McKenzie.
McKenzie, 25, played 16 games (7 starts) for the Bills last season. He caught 30 passes, gained 282 yards, and scored five touchdowns for a Bills team that won the AFC East. Inquiring teams should realize 2020 season represents single-season career bests for McKenzie. Previously, McKenzie hauled in just 49 passes for 462 yards and 1 touchdown in 34 games from 2017-19. But perhaps he is only now just coming into his own. Remember, not all development is linear.
As an added bonus, the University of Georgia product also has special teams experience. Specifically, McKenzie has time under his belt as a punt and kick returner. This could be useful in the event that Cordarrelle Patterson doesn’t return in 2021.
With Allen Robinson back in the fold and the team showing interest in Kenny Golladay, seeing McKenzie’s name pop up in connection with the Bears indicates a growing trend. I mean, someone has to catch passes from Andy Dalton — right?