March 06--Part of a position-by-position preview of where the Bears stand entering free agency on Tuesday.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Signed for 2015: Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Marquess Wilson, Josh Bellamy, Marc Mariani, Rashad Lawrence.
Expiring contracts: Josh Morgan.
Top-shelf free agents: Randall Cobb, Torrey Smith, Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin.
On the bargain rack: Eddie Royal, Miles Austin, Jason Avant, Leonard Hankerson, Cecil Shorts.
Position synopsis: On paper, the Marshall-Jeffery-Wilson trio is not a bad place for a new coaching staff to start. Jeffery, with 174 catches, 2,554 yards and 17 TDs the last two seasons, is entering a contract year and may lobby for his early extension long before training camp. Wilson, who missed the first nine games last season, will have every opportunity to deliver a breakout effort in his third season. And Marshall, when healthy and judged on talent alone, remains one of the league's most imposing receivers. But as the Tribune reported Thursday, the team is exploring trade options for Marshall. Further depth at the position should still be a priority for the Bears and it will be interesting to see how the market plays out at receiver. Finding an added dimension of speed would be a plus.
