No, the Chicago Bears should not sign WR Robert Woods

The Tennessee Titans parted ways with several veteran starters this week, including wide receiver Robert Woods, who, throughout his 10-year career, has proven to be one of the NFL’s reliable possession receivers.

The former second-round pick of the 2013 NFL Draft spent the first four years of his career with the Buffalo Bills. He was solid but unspectacular in Buffalo, and it wasn’t until he signed with the Los Angeles Rams that his abilities shined through. Woods had back-to-back seasons with more than 1,100 yards in 2018 and 2019. He tore his ACL during the 2021 season and was traded to the Titans in 2022.

The Chicago Bears’ need at wide receiver has caused a kneejerk reaction to Woods’ release, fans and analysts are floating the idea that GM Ryan Poles should sign Woods to a team-friendly one-year deal for 2023. If he plays well, reward him with a short-term contract as he matures into his early-30s.

Signing Robert Woods would be a foolish stopgap move by Bears

Signing Robert Woods would be a foolish move by Ryan Poles. For one, Woods’ presence would serve as a potential impediment to Chase Claypool’s growth. Any veteran north of 30 years old who takes reps away from Claypool or Darnell Mooney would be doing so at the expense of building a long-term sustainable passing attack. And while it’s true that neither Claypool nor Mooney are guaranteed to even be back with the Bears in 2024 — they’re both entering 2023 on expiring contracts — the Bears can’t add stopgap players at critical positions like wide receiver anymore.

Second, Adding Woods won’t do much more for the Chicago Bears offense than what the additions of Byron Pringle and Dante Pettis did in 2022. Pettis and Pringle combined for 480 yards and five touchdowns. It’s a reasonable projection for what Woods would produce in Chicago on a one-year deal. So, why bother?

Remember when the Bears signed Kendall Wright to a one-year contract in 2017? Many thought he was a former first-round wideout who could level up Chicago’s wide receiver room on a prove-it deal. He finished his only season with the Bears with 59 catches for 614 yards and one touchdown. It’s a stat line that feels like what Robert Woods would be destined for as a third or fourth option for Justin Fields.

Ryan Poles can’t add band aides. He can’t target middling veterans or players tipping over the hill. For as good as he’s been in the league, Robert Woods would be that kind of addition. Hard pass.

Bears fans should expect more from Poles and Chicago this offseason. Woods is a target of last resort, not a preference. And if the Bears miss out on the first and second waves of talented free agents this March, they can revisit whether adding Robert Woods makes sense. He certainly doesn’t right now.

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