When Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields was asked on Wednesday about which of his new receivers he's growing with in training camp, he wasted little time naming free-agent signing Equanimeous St. Brown.
Justin Fields pointed to Equanimeous St. Brown as a target he's growing with, citing his prior experience in the Bears' new offense: "He's definitely always in the right spot. ... He's a weapon in this offense, for sure."
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) August 3, 2022
St. Brown signed a one-year deal with the Bears in free agency after a disappointing tenure with the Green Bay Packers. The former Notre Dame standout appeared in 37 games (10 starts) as a Packer and totaled just 37 career catches for 547 yards and one touchdown. He missed the 2019 season with an ankle injury.
But like several of the wide receivers on the Chicago Bears' depth chart, St. Brown has an opportunity to prove to the league that he is a viable NFL starter. The path to a starting job is wide open, and he's making the most of his reps in padded practices.
One more WR observation from Bears camp today: This was Equanimeous St. Brown's best practice, particularly in team drills.
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) August 3, 2022
Equanimeous St. Brown proving to be good fit for Bears
“Luke (Getsy) came here, he called me right away, he said he wanted me to come here,” St. Brown told The Athletic this week. “Me and my agent were exploring other options, too. I felt like Luke wanted me here and I know the offense already. I feel like I’m a great fit for this offense.”
So far, he's right. Daily practice reports seem to feature St. Brown touchdown catches. It's no surprise Fields listed 'EQ' first on his receiver honor roll.
“I think I’m a great blocker, so I can do that for this team," St. Brown said, via The Athletic. "And I’m big, I’ve got long speed. I can get those chunk plays. I also know every position, so that’s a plus.”
Bears coach Matt Eberflus confirmed Wednesday that Chicago's starters will play in the team's first preseason game. Equanimeous St. Brown, whether he lines up with the first-team or not, will get a long look against the Kansas City Chiefs to prove he should be in the starting lineup. At this point, his roster spot appears locked in despite his contract containing no guaranteed salary.
"The feeling of being cut is terrible,” St. Brown said, via The Athletic. “I always had the same drive. I wouldn’t say it motivated me more, but it just makes you a little angry. Other than that, I’m always doing my best, working hard."