Darnell Mooney

Mooney was a fantastic fifth-round pick by Chicago in 2020, going for 631 yards on 98 targets (6.4 YPT) as a rookie and 1,055 on 140 looks (7.5 YPT) the following season. He then took a step back last year, despite having career highs for catch rate (65.6 percent) and YPT (8.1). The first problem was a lack of volume -- 5.1 targets per game -- in a subpar offense that attempted the fewest passes in the league. Then came a severe ankle injury in late November, which held Mooney out for the final five games and required surgery. The 25-year-old should be healthy for training camp, but his window to operate as a No. 1 receiver seemingly closed with Chicago's offseason trade for DJ Moore. That's a good thing for the team, considered Mooney was miscast as a No. 1. He ran a 4.38 40 at the 2020 combine, but at only 5-10, 176. Moore is about 35 pounds heavier, nearly as fast and only half a year older, with a trio of 1,000-yard seasons to his name. Both have a chance to experience quality QB play for the first time in their careers, with Justin Fields entering his third season after major signs of progress in Year 2.

Mooney has already proven himself a gem of a fifth-round pick, earning a starting job as a rookie and clearing 1,000 yards in Year 2. He never had that many yards in a season in run-first offenses at Tulane, and he might've gone undrafted if not for a 4.38 40 at the 2020 Combine. The time is less impressive given his slender frame, but Mooney hasn't been bullied too much by defensive backs, nor has he been pigeon-holed as a mere deep threat. In fact, Mooney has caught only 10 of 46 targets 20-plus yards downfield in his career (three of 23 as a rookie, seven of 23 last season). And that's without any drops on the downfield targets, many of which were misfires or miscommunications. The good news is that Mooney showed rapport last year with rookie quarterback Justin Fields, who never got it going with Allen Robinson (now on the Rams). In addition to seeing more cumulative targets, Mooney easily outpaced Robinson in targets per game (8.2 to 5.5). Now the Bears have Mooney in Year 3, Fields in Year 2 and head coach Matt Eberflus in Year 1, with former Packers QBs coach Luke Getsy taking over as offensive coordinator. It should be an improvement on the Matt Nagy era, if nothing else, and there's no question about Mooney's status as the No. 1 receiver sans Robinson.

A fifth-round pick last year, Mooney saw action all season, catching at least one pass in every game and finishing with 98 targets, second on the Bears only to Allen Robinson. Robinson accepted his franchise tag this offseason, solidifying himself as the team’s target hog, but Mooney is second on the depth chart. At 5-11, 177, Mooney is small and slight, but he’s fast and explosive — 4.38 40, two catches of 40-plus yards in an inept passing offense. Andy Dalton probably isn’t the answer at quarterback, but he’s likely better for the passing game than last year’s duo of Nick Foles and Mitchell Trubisky, and this year's 11th overall draft pick, Justin Fields, should take over before long.

Impressed by his 4.38 40-yard dash time, the Bears traded up to draft Mooney in the fifth round of this year's draft. Due to his slight 176-pound frame, he projects as a slot receiver, but the team has Anthony Miller, their second-best receiver, mainly occupying that spot, and Allen Robinson also lines up frequently in the slot. It's difficult enough for a rookie selected that late in the NFL Draft to make an immediate impact, and the fact that Chicago signed Ted Ginn to a free-agent deal makes it even more unlikely that Mooney makes a major impact as a rookie. Still, not many players can run like Mooney, and if the Bears somehow get quality quarterback play from the tandem of Nick Foles and Mitchell Trubisky, there's a chance that Mooney can emerge as the season progresses. However, that's not a very probable scenario.