Rookie wide receiver Anthony Miller has been an early standout for the Chicago Bears in training camp.
The Chicago Bears made a bold move when they traded back into the second-round to select Memphis wide receiver Anthony Miller in April’s NFL Draft. The Bears were expected to take a wide receiver at some point in the draft, but not many expected the team to trade up to get one in the second round. The Bears traded a fourth-round pick and next year’s second-round pick to the New England Patriots to move up.
It’s early, and a lot of Miller’s production has come wearing shorts, but the 5-11 wide receiver has drawn rave reviews from coaches, players and fans in training camp. Miller has displayed his electrifying quickness and footwork, and he has shown signs of building a strong connection with Mitchell Trubisky.
Miller can line up out wide or in the slot, making him a valuable offensive weapon. He has earned a ton of playing time with the starters and he seems to be locked in to a pretty large role in 2018. Rookie wide receivers oftentimes have difficulties in their first year in the league, but so far, Miller has not.
It’ll be fascinating to see what Miller does when he goes against defenders from opposing teams. His brash and confident game could quickly make him an unpopular player for opposing players. But it’s that brash play and sky-high confidence that makes Miller the wide receiver he is today.
Miller will surely have his fair share of ups and downs in his rookie season, but he should be a solid contributor right from Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers. His primary competition for snaps is Kevin White, and while White too has had a solid camp, Miller’s versatility could help him earn more snaps. Miller’s playmaking ability is just what this offense needs, and it looks like he’ll be given the opportunity to pay immediate dividends.