NFL free agency will be here before we know it, and the Chicago Bears have plenty of players set to hit the market. From key starters to valuable reserves, general manager Ryan Poles will have important decisions to make about who to bring back.
Here at Bears Wire, we’re going through each individual player and breaking down their 2022 performance and whether or not they fit in the Bears’ long-term plans.
We’re wrapping things up with wide receiver Dante Pettis, who had an unexpected impactful role during the 2022 season for Chicago.
2022 stats
- 19 receptions, 245 yards, 3 touchdowns
- 2 carries, 37 yards, 0 touchdowns
2022 review
The Bears signed Pettis to a one-year deal where the expectation was he’d serve as WR6 and contribute on special teams. Instead, Pettis wound up more involved on offense than many expected during the 2022 season. Pettis, who played in 17 games, led all Bears receivers in touchdowns (3) this season. While Pettis had his struggles with drops, he did have his moments in the passing game, highlighted by some deep receptions. Pettis was also the team’s primary punt returner — after rookie Velus Jones Jr. struggled with muffed punts early in the season — serving a dual role for Chicago.
Position need: High
Wide receiver was a huge need for the Bears last offseason, and it remains an important one as Justin Fields head into a pivotal Year 3. Chicago had the worst passing game in the NFL last season, due to a number of factors, including underwhelming play at the receiver position. Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool are the notable wideouts on the roster, but Chicago is in need of a true No. 1 receiver for Fields, especially after we’ve seen young quarterbacks make a big leap with one. Unfortunately, there aren’t any true WR1 in free agency, but there are some potential cap casualties and trade candidates where the Bears might be able to make a move.
The future
Outside of adding a No. 1 wide receiver for Fields, Chicago needs more depth at the receiver position. The Bears could certainly bring back Pettis on an affordable one-year deal where his primary objective would be contributing on special teams as a punt returner. But if Pettis is nearly as involved in the passing game as last season, that’s going to be a problem for Chicago.
2023 free agency profiles
We’re highlighting the Bears’ most notable free agents set to hit the open market in March:
