The Chicago Bears have the freedom to use the remainder of the season as an exploratory project, which could involve auditions for potential 2024 roster adds.
Bleacher Report’s NFL Staff pitched such a move on Tuesday, December 26, when it suggested Chicago sign former Green Bay Packers wide receiver/return man and current free agent Amari Rodgers.
“Wide receiver is projected to be one of the Bears’ biggest offseason needs, and they could use someone in the slot since Darnell Mooney’s contract is about to expire,” BR’s Staff wrote. “It’d be worth it to bring in Rodgers for a few weeks and see if he’s worth a reserve/future contract, especially since he doesn’t turn 25 until September.”
Rodgers, or a player like him, makes even more sense for the Bears down the final two game-stretch of the regular season, as Mooney did not practice on Wednesday due to a concussion, per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
Green Bay selected Rodgers in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft (No. 85 overall) out of Clemson and signed him to a $4.9 million rookie contract.
Rodgers played 26 games with the Packers across two seasons before Green Bay chose to part ways with the wideout in the middle of the 2022 campaign. The Packers cut ties with Rodgers on November 15 and the Houston Texans claimed him off the waiver wire the following day.
He finished out the year in Houston before joining the Indianapolis Colts. Rodgers played three games for Indianapolis in October but has been available via free agency since.
Over the course of his three NFL seasons, Rodgers has caught 20 passes on 35 targets for 249 yards and one touchdown, per Pro Football Reference.
He has also logged 40 punt returns for 305 yards and 17 kickoff returns for 321 yards, all of which came as a member of the Packers.
