Bears: Matt Nagy thinks this player could be the next Tyreek Hill

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy has been around some talent in his career, but comparing one of his receivers to Tyreek Hill is a bold move.

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy is on the hot seat looking toward the 2020 season, as general manager Ryan Pace contemplates a big move for a quarterback to save both of their jobs. Whoever the quarterback is, he may not have Allen Robinson to throw to.

In a chat with Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, Nagy cited the wide receiver talent he witnessed as an assistant in Philadelphia and Kansas City as he compared two notables to a current Bears’ wide receiver.

“I’ve been around Tyreek Hill,” Nagy said. “I’ve been around a young DeSean Jackson. I’m telling you right now, this guy has the complete package and has the ability to be compared to them.”

Bears: Is Matt Nagy overhyping wide receiver Darnell Mooney?

Nagy is speaking of Darnell Mooney, who the Bears drafted in the fifth round out of Tulane in the 2020 draft. He played all 16 games as a rookie, totaling 61 receptions (on 98 targets) for 631 yards and four touchdowns.

“This kid is the real deal. I’m serious,” Nagy said of Mooney. “You want to talk about an exciting player? I’m just so blown away at the things this kid does. Coming in here with no offseason, coming into training camp, playing that first game against Detroit and showing us that the lights weren’t too bright for him.”

Mooney clearly has skills, and he was credited with just one drop as a rookie. But he was also victim of bad quarterback play, as evidenced by those lackluster downfield numbers. He was 31st among wide receivers in air yards last year (1,136), and he was top-50 player at the position in yards after the catch. Add in 15 uncatchable downfield targets with 37 targets he did not catch last year, and that’s a whole lot of production left on the field due purely to how bad Nick Foles and Mitch Trubisky were.

Mooney has real breakout potential in his second season, especially if Robinson leaves. Comparing him to Tyreek Hill seems like a stretch from Nagy, though.