The six receivers on the Bears’ Week 1 roster combined, last year, to catch 93 passes for 1,185 yards with seven touchdowns. That’s an average of 15.5 receptions, 197.5 yards and 1.2 touchdowns per player.
Tre McBride, the Sunday waiver claim who didn’t catch a pass last year, drove those numbers down — though without him, the averages are 18.6 receptions, 237 yards and 1.4 touchdowns. Comapre that to Cameron Meredith, who's out for the year after he caught 66 passes for 888 yards with four touchdowns in 2016.
But maybe the focus is too narrow on just the Bears’ receivers. Zach Miller caught 47 passes for 486 yards in 10 games last year, while Dion Sims hauled in four touchdowns with the Miami Dolphins. Tarik Cohen — who wasn’t targeted in three preseason games — could be a factor if the Bears can get him the ball in space, and Jordan Howard may be asked to catch the ball more.
So if the Bears do need a collective effort to replace Meredith’s production, it may not come just from the team’s receivers.
“I feel comfortable with our guys,” quarterback Mike Glennon said. “Yes, Cam was definitely a big loss for us. But other guys are going to step up and I have plenty of time throwing with Kevin (White) and Kendall (Wright), all of our tight ends, all of our backs, so I don’t think that will be an issue.”
But can a collective effort be successful? Or is that a more palatable way to say there isn't anyone good enough to be a No. 1 target?
The Bears, though, see White as capable of being that top target.
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“I believe that,” offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said. “And obviously he’s going to have to be, because he’s the guy with the experience and he’s talented and he should be in a featured role.”
White, at the time of his injury last year, was the Bears’ leading receiver with 19 catches for 187 yards. But he averaged only 5.2 yards per target, the third-lowest average among receivers with at least 35 targets last year.
White’s two serious leg injuries are behind him now, and while his preseason wasn’t productive (four catches, 32 yards) the Bears were pleased with his overall body of work in July and August.
“The good thing is that he’s strung together healthy practices,” general manager Ryan Pace said. “I think that was important for him. He has really only had one training camp. For him to be able to string together healthy practices and stack positive days, now we’re set for him to have a big year for us.”
Those two season-ending injuries didn’t change him being the seventh overall pick in 2015 or the expectations that come with that. And the Bears believe he can live up to those expectations.
Sunday will be his first chance to show he can.
“He’s got the size, the athleticism, the strength,” Glennon said. “He has what you’re looking for. He hasn’t been healthy. I think we just need to all give him the opportunity to be that guy and I think he’ll show that this year.”