NEWSLETTER
Discussing the Chicago Bears’ receiver depth isn’t an easy conversation to have these days. Because once we get past the starters outside (A-Rob, Mooney) and the veteran free agent additions (Goodwin, Byrd), there are fair questions about which of the depth pieces will make the season-opening roster.
Perhaps we’ll get more clarity on that front soon:
Isaiah Coulter signing with Chicago Bears, per a league source
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 22, 2021
NFL reporter Aaron Wilson passes along that free agent Isaiah Coulter is signing with the Bears. And as the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs points out, Coulter was recently in for a tryout at Halas Hall. Chicago’s decision-makers must like what they see from Coulter to scoop him up.
A fifth-round pick by the Texans in the 2020 NFL Draft, Coulter was an intriguing off-the-board option. The Rhode Island product was second-team All-Colonial in 2019 after catching 72 passes, gaining 1,039 yards, and scoring 8 touchdowns. Don’t get it twisted. Signing Coulter isn’t fixing the receiver room. Instead, this is a dart throw on someone with a unique prospect pedigree.
Lance Zierlein’s pre-draft profile includes a comparison to ex-Bear Marquess Wilson:
“Raw but talented X receiver with NFL-caliber length, speed and athletic ability. He runs a limited route tree and doesn’t show enough attention to detail in his route work, but he’s loose and fluid with the ability to get that area corrected. He lets coverage off the hook when he doesn’t burst and separate like he’s capable of, but he has access to plenty of juice when needed. While improvement should be expected, learning to play with better catch aggression and ball-tracking is not a given. Coulter is an explosive, high-upside talent with functional-starter upside, but a lower floor.”
Sounds like the type of prospect you’d love your receivers coach to get his hands on and develop. But also, adding Coulter could be a sign the Bears don’t love what they have in house.
Javon Wims and Riley Ridley have been in a camp competition this summer. Neither has stood out (for good reasons) to this point of the summer. For instance, Wims whiffed in punt coverage as a gunner. And on top of that, left Saturday’s game with an appendix issue. Ridley had a drop of a Justin Fields pass. Depth receiver Chris Lacy popped up in the box score with an illegal crack-back block that negated a 6-yard run by Khalil Herbert on 1st-and-10 in the second half. It’s been a mess from this position group when getting down to the bottom half of the depth chart. And with that as context, it makes sense as to why the Bears are bringing in help.
More on the signing as information becomes available later…
UPDATE –Â Here’s your corresponding move:
#Bears roster moves:
We have signed WR Isaiah Coulter and have placed LB Austin Calitro on Injured Reserve.— Chicago Bears (@BearsPR) August 23, 2021
