Bears should give Collin Johnson a contract this offseason |
Last preseason was a hopeful time for Chicago Bears fans.
The Bears offense looked good overall. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams was already starting to make plays, and Chicago got its first real glimpse of wide receiver Collin Johnson. Johnson was previously unknown. A former fifth-round pick, he has bounced around to several different teams. In 2020, the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted him at No. 165 overall. That year, he recorded his only touchdown reception in a regular-season game. He then played for the New York Giants in 2021. Johnson did not play in 2022 due to injury. Johnson's stint with the Bears started in October 2023, when he was signed to the practice squad. He was eventually elevated to the active roster and played in three regular-season games that year, recording one reception for 11 yards. In the 2024 season, Johnson was back to fighting for a roster spot. In the Hall of Fame game in August of 2024, he made the league take notice with his two-touchdown performance, including a mid-air grab that was arguably one of the best plays of the preseason. His performance was enough to get him a spot on Chicago’s practice squad going into last season. Ultimately, Johnson appeared in nine games last season with one reception for six yards. Once March hits, Johnson will again become an unrestricted free agent (UFA). While he may not be the best wide receiver available among the UFAs this offseason, it is worth considering if Chicago should bring back Johnson as a depth piece in the receiver room. Currently on the active roster, Chicago has four other receivers besides Johnson - DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Keenan Allen, and Tyler Scott. While Moore and Odunze are secured for the foreseeable future, and Scott’s rookie contract runs to 2027, Allen is set to become a free agent. Given his age and lack of production this year compared to his time with the Los Angeles Chargers, it may not be best to bring him back. So, that leaves the Bears with Moore, Odunze, Scott, and Johnson. That is not a strong receiver room, and Chicago will need to bring in at least one other receiver in the offseason or through the draft. However, there is something to be said about a player like Johnson, who has some experience with the guys in the locker room, especially with all of the changes in the coaching staff. Johnson has been with the Bears for two years. Thus, he has shown he can adapt to changes in the offensive scheme. Chicago had two different offensive coordinators in his time with the Bears, and he worked in two other offensive schemes with the Jaguars in 2020 and the Giants in 2021. Therefore, adjusting to yet another offensive play-caller, head coach Ben Johnson should be no problem for him. Besides being a depth piece for the wide receiver room, Johnson is also a commodity on special teams. In the nine games he played for the Bears this season, Johnson played on 56 percent of the special teams snaps and registered his first few solo tackles this year on special teams. That is crucial, given that Chicago elected to retain Richard Hightower as the special teams coordinator. Therefore, Johnson is already familiar with Hightower and how he runs the special teams unit. His versatility in stepping in at receiver when necessary and his valuable role on special teams are the key reasons why the Bears should keep Collin Johnson around this offseason by giving him another one-year deal.
