OK, so this isn’t the wide receiver extension we’ve been expecting the Chicago Bears to hand out.
However, I feel as if it is a notable one.
The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain reports Equanimeous St. Brown is coming back on a one-year extension (with NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport chipping in with the financials):
UPDATE — It’s officially official:
St. Brown, 26, signed a one-year “prove it” deal last year and seems to be on the cusp of getting another such deal. A sixth-round pick by the Packers in 2018, St. Brown followed Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy in leaving Green Bay for Chicago last offseason. Assuming Getsy doesn’t leave for a head-coaching opportunity, they’ll be in Chicago for yet another season.
St. Brown’s stats aren’t much to write home about. Putting up a 20-catch, 320-yard, 1-touchdown season in 15 games isn’t going to strike fear in the heart of defenses. But for what it’s worth, St. Brown knows the offense and is a key contributor as a run blocker. Pro Football Focus has St. Brown with a 69.8 run-blocking grade, which is nice *AND* ranks as the seventh best among the 118 qualifiers on the leaderboard. It isn’t sexy, but keeping depth in the form of a quality blocker with a good football IQ is a perfectly cromulent transaction. Frankly, we shouldn’t view that stuff isn’t inconsequential for an offense moving into its second year under Getsy’s watch.
There will be bigger fish to fry this offseason when the receiver market opens up. And there is an expectation that the Bears’ receivers’ room will look different to start the 2023 season. It should definitely look different than it will when this season ends on Sunday. That much I know. Whether it comes via trade, free agency, the NFL Draft, or all of the above, changes are coming. In other words, don’t fret about the retention of a WR4/5 type of player who represents quality depth.
Want some bonus fun? This is a fun watch: