USAT: Bears Wire audio clip

USAT: Bears Wire

Jan 23, 2022

The Chicago Bears have a busy offseason ahead of them. Following the hirings of their next general manager and head coach, the focus shifts to the 2022 season. - Free agency is just a couple of months away, and the new Bears GM has plenty of roster holes to fill. Chicago currently has just 40 players under contract with glaring roster needs. Luckily, they’re projected to have around $43 million in salary cap space to work with. - One of the positions of glaring need is wide receiver, as Darnell Mooney is the only wideout currently under contract for the 2022 season. Addressing wide receiver in free agency and the NFL draft is a main priority. - The folks at Pro Football Focus believe the Bears should target Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Christian Kirk in free agency. - The only wide receiver currently under contract with the Bears for 2022 is 2020 fifth-round pick Darnell Mooney. Chicago desperately needs to add more weapons for quarterback Justin Fields, especially without a first- or fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and Kirk could be a perfect fit.  - The Cardinals moved Kirk into the slot this season to deploy him as a field-stretching vertical threat over the middle, and he set career highs across the board with 77 receptions for 984 yards and a 72.7 PFF grade. A similar role in Chicago would make for a great one-two punch with Mooney out wide. - With quarterback Justin Fields entering his second season, the Bears need to surround their young quarterback with plenty of weapons. Kirk, who’s coming off a career year with the Cardinals, would fill a need in the slot and can be another playmaker for Fields. - Follow The Bears Wire Podcast: - Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts - - - List - - Ranking the Bears' head coach candidates - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Email - - - - - Sign up - - - - - - - - Like this article? - Sign up for the Bears Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning - - - - An error has occured - - - Please re-enter your email address. - - - - - - Thanks for signing up! - - - You'll now receive the top Bears Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

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