The Chicago Bears wrapped the 2022 season with a 3-14 record, which culminated in a 10-game losing streak. But there’s still reasons to be optimistic about the future, including a boatload of salary cap space, the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft and the emergence of quarterback Justin Fields.
Here at Bears Wire, we’re going position by position through the 2022 Bears and grading every player. After looking at quarterbacks and running backs, we’re staying on offense with the wide receivers, a group that featured many new faces but disappointed as a whole in 2022.
Darnell Mooney: C+
Season stats: 40 receptions, 493 yards, 2 touchdowns; 1 carry, 2 yards, 0 touchdowns
The Bears top wide receiver heading into the 2022 season, Darnell Mooney didn’t exactly live up to expectations after his second-year breakout. He only played in 12 games before fracturing his ankle, but before that, he didn’t ascend to the WR1 status like many thought he would. Mooney failed to eclipse 100 yards in any game last season and only caught four passes over the first three weeks of the season. Mooney did have a few impressive catches, notably his diving grab against the New York Giants and one-handed snatch against the Minnesota Vikings, but he was fairly quiet for much of the season. Hopefully he can bounce back fully healthy in 2023 and help the Bears’ passing attack take a step in the right direction.
Equanimeous St. Brown: B-
Season stats: 21 receptions, 323 yards, 1 touchdown; 6 carries, 54 yards, 0 touchdowns
At first glance, this grade might look generous for Equanimeous St. Brown. But consider the expectations when he joined the Bears in the offseason. He signed a one-year deal worth just under $1 million, coming from the Green Bay Packers in which he was an afterthought. With the Bears, he became a starter and was a reliable run blocker for the best rushing team in the league. St. Brown also had his moments as a receiver, though there were a few critical drops that are included. When it comes down to it, though, St. Brown exceeded expectations and will be back in 2023. He just shouldn’t be the team’s WR2.
Chase Claypool: D+
Season stats: 14 receptions, 140 yards, 0 touchdowns; 1 carry, 4 yards, 0 touchdowns
The Bears made a big splash at the trade deadline, acquiring Chase Claypool from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for their own second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Claypool flashed for the Steelers in two and a half seasons, but didn’t do much with the Bears since coming over. He wasn’t utilized nearly as much as initially thought, he eclipsed 50 yards in just one game, and missed time with a knee injury near the end of the season. It feels unfair to grade him since he was still clearly getting up to speed, but there needed to be more from him in seven games. The acquisition was never just about one season, though, and Claypool should play a much larger role in 2023.
Dante Pettis: C-
Season stats: 19 receptions, 245 yards, 3 touchdowns; 2 carries, 37 yards, 0 touchdowns
Raise your hand if you had Dante Pettis leading the Bears in touchdowns from a wide receiver this season back in August. The former second-round pick found new life with the Bears after being essentially being cast off following his stint with the New York Giants in 2021. Pettis didn’t exactly wow anyone, but was the only receiver to play in all 17 games. Pettis is an exceptional route runner, but struggles with drops and that was evident throughout the season. Still, he had his moments catching the deep ball, especially early on in the season. Perhaps he gets invited back next year to compete, but if he’s no more than a special teams contributor, there might be problems.
Byron Pringle: C-
Season stats: 10 receptions, 135 yards, 2 touchdowns
Byron Pringle was the most notable free agent acquisition at the wide receiver position after his breakout season with the Kansas City Chiefs when he totaled 568 yards and five touchdowns. He didn’t get anywhere close to that during his time in Chicago. Pringle played in 11 games and mainly contributed as a run blocker, locking guys up to create big runs from both Fields and the running backs. He did have a couple of nice plays, particularly his impressive catches against the New York Jets and his improvisation to get a touchdown from Fields against the Philadelphia Eagles. Aside from that, there wasn’t much to write home about. You needed more from the player that was supposed to be the team’s WR2.
Velus Jones Jr.: C-
Season stats: 7 receptions, 107 yards, 1 touchdown; 9 carries, 103 yards, 1 touchdown
A strong finish did wonders for Velus Jones Jr., who was heading straight for a failing grade until he impressed over the final few weeks of the season. The third-round rookie struggled to do anything right, whether it was catching a ball as a receiver, catching a ball as a returner, or fumbling the ball as a runner. Nothing was working and he was even benched for a portion of the season. But thanks to injuries, Jones got a second chance and made the most of it. His receiving skills improved, he was dangerous as a kick returner, and he had one of the plays of the year in the final game where he toed the sideline for a 42-yard rushing touchdown. Jones will need to ride that momentum into 2023, but he had a promising finish to his rookie season.
N'Keal Harry: B-
Season stats: 7 receptions, 116 yards, 1 touchdown
Truth be told, N’Keal Harry is one of the most difficult players to grade. On one hand, he was out for a period of time with injuries and was also made inactive for multiple games. But when he was getting targets, he made the most of them. Harry had seven receptions on nine targets without a drop. He made some impressive plays, especially his deep catch against the Green Bay Packers. But he wasn’t called upon nearly as much as one would think. The Bears acquired him in the offseason from the New England Patriots for a 2024 seventh-round draft pick so they didn’t lose much in terms of compensation, but his usage was puzzling to say the least.
Nsimba Webster: INC
Season stats: 2 receptions, 14 yards, 0 touchdowns
Nsimba Webster flashed during the preseason, but failed to make the active roster back in September and was sent to the practice squad. Thanks to injuries late in the year, he was called up and saw action in a couple of games.
Ihmir Smith-Marsette: F
Season stats: 1 reception, 15 yards, 0 touchdowns; 1 carry, -1 yards, 0 touchdowns
Many thought the Bears were getting a diamond in the rough when Ihmir Smith-Marsette was waived by the Minnesota Vikings during the final roster cutdowns. That wasn’t the case at all. Smith-Marsette only played in a handful of games for the Bears, but had more negative plays than positive. His fumble against his former team cost the Bears a game and a key drop against the Washington Commanders. He was released shortly after that game and his tenure with the Bears can easily be labeled as a failure.
