Chicago Bears: Replacing Cameron Meredith is a team effort

It will require a team effort for the Chicago Bears to replace wide receiver Cameron Meredith’s production.

There’s no doubt that the Chicago Bears lost a big piece of their offense when Cameron Meredith tore his ACL in the third preseason game against the Titans. How improved he could have been this season was still a question mark, but regardless, he was being counted on to be one of Mike Glennon’s go-to options. There is no plug-and-play replacement currently on the roster, so replacing Meredith will be a team effort.

The most logical choice to take Meredith’s spot in the starting lineup is free agent addition Markus Wheaton. While four inches shorter than Meredith, Wheaton is a deep threat who could open things up underneath for Kevin White and Kendall Wright. However, the one thing complicating this scenario is the fact that Wheaton has been injured all of camp. He had an appendectomy early in training camp, then broke a finger shortly after he returned.

Wheaton’s lack of practice time is alarming, as we have no idea what his level of understanding of this offense is, or how much chemistry he has developed with Glennon. If Wheaton can get healthy before Sept. 10, he’s most likely the starter against the Atlanta Falcons. If he isn’t healthy, then the Bears have a much more complicated situation.

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The Bears seem to have an abundance all of a sudden of slot receivers. Between Wright, Victor Cruz and Wheaton, the Bears have three viable options in the slot. What the team lacks, however, is a big bodied receiver to replace Meredith.

Deonte Thompson and Josh Bellamy both have some size (6-0), but neither is not a polished wideout. Outside of Kevin White, the only Bears wide receivers who are over 6-1 are Titus Davis and Tanner Gentry. Davis likely won’t make the roster, and Gentry is a rookie who, while showing some promise, is still raw.

The best bet to replace Meredith’s production is through a collective effort. White surely has to stay healthy, and Wheaton needs to get on the field. The Bears do have a nice collection of tight ends, so the team figures to run a lot of “12” personnel (one running back, two tight ends) often.

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If Mike Glennon has any chance of success this season, the Bears receiving corps is going to have to make significant strides. They have not shown much in the preseason, and have struggled separating from press-man coverage. The team will throw around the phrase “next man up” when talking about injuries, but in this particular case, it should be “next men up” because it requires more than just a single player to replace Meredith.