Chicago Bears: Cameron Meredith key part for success in 2017
By David Mamola
Cameron Meredith is out to prove that he can be the number one wide receiver for the Chicago Bears.
When the Chicago Bears let wide receiver Alshon Jeffery sign with the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason, the team lost its most accomplished weapon on offense. While it probably was time for both sides to move on, there’s no doubt that Jeffrey’s departure left a glaring hole on the Bears roster. Jeffery’s availability from week to week was frustrating, as he ended up missing 13 games the past two season. But at the same time, Jeffery’s 72 career yards per game will be missed.
Now, to the surprise of some fans, it was third-year receiver Cameron Meredith who actually led the Bears in receiving last year (888 yards), not Jeffery (821 yards). Meredith did play in a few more games than Jeffery, but it was clear that Meredith was the best receiver on the roster last season.
At 6-3 and 200 pounds, Meredith (who is fully expected to be ready for training camp after spraining his thumb in OTAs) definitely looks the part of a prototypical #1 receiver, and his numbers last year were surprisingly good.
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On the surface, Meredith’s 67 more yards than Jeffery in 2016 doesn’t seem like that much. However, when you consider the fact that Meredith caught 68 percent of his targets compared to Jeffery catching just 55 percent of his, you can see that Meredith was much more efficient. In addition, Meredith clicked with all three quarterbacks who played for the team last season, while Jeffery’s numbers saw a steep decline when Jay Cutler was out of the lineup.
The biggest concerns with Meredith are that a lot of his production came in garbage time and he might just be a one-year wonder. Whether or not Meredith can produce when elite cornerbacks are covering him is yet to be seen. Jeffery did consume a lot of opposing defenses’ attention, leaving easy one-on-one opportunities for Meredith on the other side (Brandon Marshall used to do the same thing for Jeffery early in his career). In addition, Meredith was at times the only reliable receiver healthy during games, making him the main target by default.
Meredith used to play quarterback at Illinois State University, and he showed off his skills in Week 17 last year when he tossed a two-yard touchdown to Matt Barkley. Meredith still is learning about the wide receiver position, and Bears coaches hope that he can take the next step after another offseason full of training. Meredith showed enough flashes in 2016 to suggest that he’s only scratching the surface of his potential.
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Kevin White might mean more to the organization and have more potential, but Meredith can make just as big of an impact. Heading into the upcoming season, it’s Meredith, not White, who is the more polished receiver and is being looked upon to fill the void that Jeffery created. Only time will tell if Meredith can truly turn into a No. 1 receiver, but after his strong performance last season, it’s clear that Meredith is on the right path.