Can second-year receiver Scott find a role in the Bears’ offense this season?
The Bears are heading toward a momentous training camp. Veteran players will report to Halas Hall for camp on July 19. The team will hit the practice field the following day.
All eyes will be on the Bears this summer. They have the No. 1 overall draft pick in Caleb Williams, and they will be the featured team on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.”
But who are some of the under-the-radar players who could be big contributors in 2024? We are counting down the top five under-the-radar Bears this week. These could be players who are waiting for an opportunity to take on a bigger role, rookies looking to make an impact or simply a player who Bears fans aren’t talking enough about.
Here’s a look at No. 3 on the list.
No. 3 Tyler Scott
Position:
Wide receiver
Experience:
Second season
Looking back:
The Bears selected Tyler Scott out of Cincinnati with a fourth-round draft pick a year ago. A small, speedy receiver, Scott is the quintessential student of the game. He’s well-studied in football history and his dad even resembles Bears great Mike Singletary. Last year, Scott took the locker next to veteran Darnell Mooney and tried to learn everything he could from Mooney, a player with a similar body type.
But the 2023 season was a learning process for the rookie. He appeared in all 17 games for the Bears, but he totaled only 17 receptions for 168 yards. He did not find the end zone.
Scott’s rookie season was mostly remembered by Bears fans because of a rough performance during a heartbreaking November loss in Detroit. Scott lost a fumble in the first half and dropped a wide-open deep ball on a key third down in the fourth quarter. Scott took the perspective that games like that will be learning moments for a young player.
Looking forward:
The Bears added a lot of competition to the wide receiver position. Mooney is gone, but the Bears traded for veteran Keenan Allen and drafted rookie Rome Odunze, who are both expected to fill starting spots in the lineup alongside DJ Moore. That will make it tough for Scott to find significant playing time.
Last season, Scott played about 39% of the Bears’ offensive snaps. That was third among receivers (behind Moore and Mooney). Right now, Scott appears to be No. 4 on the Bears’ depth chart at receiver. If everyone is healthy, Scott might be in for a drop in playing time. But the Bears will make room for Scott, even if he’s not starting. Plus, if one of the starting receivers goes down with an injury — which is likely inevitable — Scott is probably the first guy off the bench.
For plenty of young NFL receivers, the biggest jump in production comes between their rookie season and their second year in the NFL. The rookie season is a learning curve. Year Two is when things start to click. Scott certainly went through his share of rookie moments in 2023, but he could be in line to see a big jump.
That’s especially true if the Bears’ passing attack takes a major step forward with Williams at quarterback and a new offensive coordinator in Shane Waldron at the helm.