How Byron Pringle Holds Key to Bears Receive Success

So do the Bears have the receiver who stepped in for 29 receptions in seven games at season's end last season, the same one who partnered in Kansas City with Pringles potato chips on the "Kansas City BBQ Stack," line of their product? Or do they have a player who will let them down?

It's a receiver corps that can't afford someone who gets in trouble, and badly needs a productive second receiver to remove some coverage pressure from Darnell Mooney. After all, Mooney has always had Allen Robinson around to occupy a defense's attention, but no more.

The offense can't expect Velus Jones to be the No. 2 as a rookie third-round pick. At least at the outset, he'll still be learning and they are hopeful he can develop quickly into a threat as 25-year-old rookie.

Beyond those three receivers, it's a gigantic reclamation project with Equanimeous St. Brown, Dante Pettis, Tajae Sharpe and David Moore headlining a group trying to win roster spots. 

Obviously, if Pringle performs like the ascending receiver they saw at season's end, the offense benefits greatly. If he fails or has more off-field issues, it could mean Justin Fields throwing to Mooney, relying on receivers who have failed elsewhere or a rookie who never had more than 24 receptions in a college season until his sixth year at Tennessee.

Pringle's 4.46 speed in the 40 and 33 1/2-inch vertical leap showed he had the potential coming into the NFL. He also did an outstanding 6.87 seconds in the three-cone drill. 

Injuries derailed his progress early and, of course, the Chiefs had Tyreek Hill, Brandon Mebane, Sammy Watkins and Demarcus Robinson at receiver during the four years he was there, starting with a signing in 2018 as an undrafted free agent.

Provided he is free of off-field issues, Pringle appears to be another ascending player. It's something Poles seemed to seek out with all of his free agent signings.

Pringle had 12 catches in 2019 and 13 in 2020. He was a real breakaway return threat with an outstanding 26.6-yard average for 37 career kick returns. He took everything up a step when he made 36 receptions in the second half of last season and the playoffs, over 11 games total. His two touchdown catches and six receptions for 75 yards helped achieve a rout of the Steelers. In the playoffs, he made five more receptions for two more TDs against Pittsburgh. He had 12 postseason catches in all.

The Chiefs receiver corps has been overturned with the departures of Hill, Robinson and Pringle. Watkins had left the previous year.

Pringle hopes to continue that climb he seemed to initiate late last year.

"I come to play," Pringle said when he came to Chicago. "I can't speak for every man but I come to play. I'm pretty sure, like you've seen on film, Justin Fields comes to play.

"I'm just coming here to execute the material that will be given to us."

It's the wait while that happens which leads to worries, unncessarily or otherwise.

Byron Pringle at a Glance

Vitals: 6-foot-1, 201 pounds, fifth season.

Career: Fifth year, sat out 2018 on IR (hamstring); 67 receptions in 93 targets, 898 yards, 13.4 ypc, 7 TDs; 37 kick returns, 26.6-yard average, 102-yard TD in 2020. Has six career dropped passes.

2021: Made 42 catches on 60 targets, 568 yards, 13.5 ypc, 5 TDs with 4 dropped passes playing on a career-high 49% of offensive snaps; made career-high 25 kick returns for 24.8-yard average.

The Number: 6. Pringle made his career high of six receptions and also a career-high 103 yards with a TD in his fifth game ever played, a 19-13 loss in 2019 at home to the Colts and Matt Eberflus' defense.

2022 Projection: 53 receptions, 645 yards, 12.2 ypc., 5 TDs.