Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus walks on the field before an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)
Throughout the season, rookies like Tyrique Stevenson, Darnell Wright, and Roschon Johnson were standout performers, but other first-year players fell short of expectations. Should these underperforming young players fail to improve rapidly and have a productive offseason, their status on the 2024 roster may be in risk.
These three rookies for the Bears are in danger after just one season.
1. Wide receiver Tyler Scott
With an abject 130.5 passing yards per game on average in 2022, the Bears had the poorest aerial assault in the NFL. A key goal of the previous year was to improve the passing game, which is why the team selected Cincinnati wide receiver Tyler Scott with a fourth-round pick.
After a 2022 collegiate season in which he set career highs in receiving yards (899), touchdowns (9), and receptions (54), there was plenty to be excited about with Scott. But to the dismay of Bears supporters, the native of Akron, Ohio, was unable to duplicate similar achievements in the NFL.
Scott made appearances in all 17 games, starting four of them, and finished with 17 receptions for 168 yards and 10 first downs without a pick. His 53.1% catch rate, 55.2 passer rating, and two drops indicate that the Bears quarterbacks didn’t exactly find him to be a reliable target.
Since Scott is only 22 years old, he has plenty of time to develop and get better. In addition, if the Bears decide that a free-agent wide receiver or an incoming rookie should start in his place, he might find himself further down the depth charts.
