5 best training camp battles for Bears in 2019

Wide Receiver: Anthony Miller vs. Cordarrelle Patterson vs. Taylor Gabriel vs. Riley Ridley

Technically they aren’t all in competition with each other, since Anthony Miller and Cordarrelle Patterson would probably compete for slot reps in three-wide sets and Riley Ridley would attempt to eat into Taylor Gabriel’s workload across from Allen Robinson. But the reality is that all four receivers are versatile enough to feature in different alignments, formations, and roles, giving the Bears a multi-faceted offensive attack.

Really and truly, this is more about a battle for snaps and targets, rather than arbitrary spots on the simplified depth chart. The only certainty for the Bears at wide receiver is that Allen Robinson, whom Mitchell Trubisky must make greater use of next season, is the top guy. Everything else remains in flux.

Miller seems like the best bet to have a huge 2019. He has all the tools to dominate in the slot or on the outside, averaging 7.8 yards per target last season with the team’s second-highest yards per reception average behind Robinson. The former second-round pick has more playmaking ability than some may think.

But the same could potentially be said for free agent signing Patterson, who put his career back on track with the New England Patriots. Patterson is a joystick with the ball in his hands, and this could translate into slot snaps that showcase his ability beyond simply kick returns. At 6’2″, 228 pounds, Patterson can be a size mis-match as a “big” slot guy, adding to the versatility of the Bears offense. And if that weren’t enough, he also piled up 228 rushing yards on 5.4 yards per carry in 2018. The man is simply the jack of all trades.

Gabriel led all Bears wide receivers and tight ends last season with 67 receptions, but Miller will be his biggest roadblock to a repeat performance, especially since he came on strong near the end of his rookie campaign. But Gabriel has elite agility and has shown more polish as a receiver. He’s another guy who can play inside or outside as a possession guy or “gadget” player, and he’s only improved since leaving the high-powered Atlanta Falcons offense. Gabriel is an even more exciting playmaker with the ball in his hands than Patterson.

While Miller and Gabriel are entrenched as starting-caliber options and Patterson will stake his claim to eat targets from both, rookie wide receiver Riley Ridley is a total wild card. It’s just as difficult to project rookies who are sharp route-runners but below-average athletes as it is to project raw athletes who are unpolished wideouts.

Ridley fits in the former category, as the fourth-round pick ran a 4.58 forty with a vertical leap that barely cleared 30 inches. These are the question marks, but Ridley’s hands and awareness made him an important chain-mover in the Georgia Bulldogs offense. Because his skill-set is so unique to the other Bears receivers, he could carve out a niche. If he is better than the athletic testing numbers suggest, then Gabriel could cede some snaps to the first-year player. Lance Zierlein’s James Jones comparison seems like a fair starting point for evaluating Ridley’s potential fit in the Bears 2019 offense.