So no one knows when/if Meredith will play...

alexwilkins · Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:06 am

https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/bears-cameron-meredith-no-clear-timetable-for-return/

I follow his instagram. He's up, he's walking, he's in the gym, but I guess his knee is still being closely monitored. As a restricted free agent, I think we still bring him back, with a second year team option.

Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:16 am

I don't think the Bears can look at any of their receivers as healthy. They should treat the offseason and the draft as if they have no receivers on the roster.

Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:34 am

That's too bad. I really hope he gets healthy, for his sake and for the Bears.

G08 · Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:52 am

Haven't had my coffee yet, but I believe he said on a radio interview that he expects to be 100% ready to go by training camp. He had his surgery in late August/early September so camp would represent 10.5 months.

To echo UOK, the Bears really have to look at their WR corps and treat it as if we have nobody. Meredith and White should be seen as WR4 and WR5 at best. If they move up the depth chart due to production and staying healthy, then good for them.

Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:57 am

G08 wrote:To echo UOK, the Bears really have to look at their WR corps and treat it as if we have nobody. Meredith and White should be seen as WR4 and WR5 at best. If they move up the depth chart due to production and staying healthy, then good for them.

I don't know if that's how it works though. The Bears might as well not even bring them back if that's the case.

BR0D1E86 · Mon Mar 12, 2018 9:01 am

Everything I’ve seen all offseason says he’ll be ready for training camp.

G08 · Mon Mar 12, 2018 9:07 am

wab wrote:
G08 wrote:To echo UOK, the Bears really have to look at their WR corps and treat it as if we have nobody. Meredith and White should be seen as WR4 and WR5 at best. If they move up the depth chart due to production and staying healthy, then good for them.
I don't know if that's how it works though. The Bears might as well not even bring them back if that's the case.

He's a young, ascending player that shouldn't cost much to retain. It's similar to Kyle Fuller last season, many fans thought he wasn't even going to make the 53. I think you keep Meredith and White around, but don't expect anything out of them. White can't stay healthy and Meredith, even though anyone would have torn their ACL based on the hit he took, shouldn't be seen of as more than a 2 or 3 immediately. This is why we sorely need a #1 added in FA, he pushes everyone down a level.

Watkins
Wilson
Meredith
White
Rookie/Depth

If the football Gods are smiling down on us, maybe after the bye-week we'll see something like:

Watkins
White
Meredith/Wilson
Rookie

Mon Mar 12, 2018 9:14 am

I love Meredith. I watched him as a QB at ISU. I'm also sick of not having guys on the field. In my mind, if you are going into the season not counting on them or expecting anything from them, what's the point? That's two wasted roster spots. The Bears aren't exactly in a position where they can just keep waiting on guys.

If you sign and draft a handful of guys that push them down the depth chart, then how are you really going to get a feel of how much they can do? The 4th and 5th spots on your WR depth chart are primarily for special teams guys. The Josh Bellamy's and Deonte Thompson's of the world. Not the 7th overall pick and a guy who was about to break out with a season just shy of 1000 yards. Those guys aren't going to play special teams.

You either have to factor those guys in as big parts of your team and hope for the best, or you have to cut your losses and replace them.

IotaNet · Mon Mar 12, 2018 9:40 am

wab wrote: ... you have to cut your losses and replace them.

This right here.

I have no evidence to support what I'm about to say but I believe that consistently broken bodies do not heal in (Football) time -- they just get more broken. Sooner or later, you have to cut your losses and move on.

G08 · Mon Mar 12, 2018 9:47 am

wab wrote:I love Meredith. I watched him as a QB at ISU. I'm also sick of not having guys on the field. In my mind, if you are going into the season not counting on them or expecting anything from them, what's the point? That's two wasted roster spots. The Bears aren't exactly in a position where they can just keep waiting on guys.

If you sign and draft a handful of guys that push them down the depth chart, then how are you really going to get a feel of how much they can do? The 4th and 5th spots on your WR depth chart are primarily for special teams guys. The Josh Bellamy's and Deonte Thompson's of the world. Not the 7th overall pick and a guy who was about to break out with a season just shy of 1000 yards. Those guys aren't going to play special teams.

You either have to factor those guys in as big parts of your team and hope for the best, or you have to cut your losses and replace them.

I see it as you don't pencil in White or Meredith as a WR1 or WR2. I know teams don't set their depth chart until the end of camp or whatever, but they have an idea of who is going to be a starter when they make these moves.

I'm saying go get a Watkins/Robinson and Wilson and let everyone compete and let the chips fall where they may. I think Pace made a huge mistake in trusting Kevin White to stay healthy last season, and it bit us in the ass. He'd be a fool to expect anything out of him this season -- just like Kyle Fuller last season -- and look how that turned out. For me, this approach is a happy medium between relying on them and cutting them.

crueltyabc · Mon Mar 12, 2018 10:29 am

We're not talking about money but this could just be a conversation about money. I would go to camp with 9 guys and not be upset about paying three of them to leave. We're not building through the draft at this position, we're taking chances in FA and eating dead money. That was decided when White and Meredith got hurt last year, and none of the FAs got re-signed.

Also, most of our rookie targets would have special teams value. I have us drafting DJ Moore and he's got PR/KR ability.

1= Watkins/Robinson

2 thru 4 =
Wilson
Meredith
White
Wheaton
Inman/Wright/journeyman FA who maybe plays ST

5 thru 6 =
Drafted Rookie (DJ Moore) who maybe plays ST
UDFA who def plays ST
Bellamy/veteran ST guy

southdakbearfan · Mon Mar 12, 2018 11:19 am

BR0D1E86 wrote:Everything I’ve seen all offseason says he’ll be ready for training camp.

That’s because the only thing you have heard is coming from the guys camp that is trying to get him a contract.

I want him to come back and do well. But he wouldn’t be the first nor last that didn’t come back from this injury. He was ok but injuries diminish you as a player. How far did he have to go before that ends up being not on an nfl roster.

ACL is still a serious, career altering injury.

Richie · Mon Mar 12, 2018 11:30 am

I would be extremely disappointed if we let Cameron Meredith get away.

Rusty Trombagent · Mon Mar 12, 2018 1:04 pm

it's kind of funny, because on alot of people's FA WR lists he's a top five guy, under the obvious landry/watkins/robinson trio. there are fanbases out there hoping the bears dont tender him.

BR0D1E86 · Mon Mar 12, 2018 1:10 pm

southdakbearfan wrote:
BR0D1E86 wrote:Everything I’ve seen all offseason says he’ll be ready for training camp.
That’s because the only thing you have heard is coming from the guys camp that is trying to get him a contract.

I want him to come back and do well. But he wouldn’t be the first nor last that didn’t come back from this injury. He was ok but injuries diminish you as a player. How far did he have to go before that ends up being not on an nfl roster.

ACL is still a serious, career altering injury.

The Bears expect him to be ready. And for guys his age it’s frequently not career altering.