The Bears have added a receiver — finally.
The team traded a conditional seventh-round pick for Los Angeles Chargers receiver Dontrelle Inman, pending a physical. Bears coach John Fox said Wednesday that Inman was en route to Halas Hall to take his physical, either late Wednesday or early Thurday.
“He’s a veteran guy,” Fox said. “We have a young room. So anxious to see how that goes.”
Inman had only two catches for nine yards in 36 snaps this season, but is one year removed from his best season. In 2016, he caught 58 passes for 810 yards and four touchdowns. The 6-3, 198-pounder is in his fourth season, all with the Chargers, but is 28 years old. He’s in the final year of his contract.
The Bears have needed help at receiver since the preseason, when Cam Meredith tore his ACL in the team’s third exhibition game. Kevin White broke his shoulder in the opener and Markus Wheaton hurt his groin two weeks ago. The team has been playing Tanner Gentry and Tre McBride — who have combined for four catches for 54 yards — outside with Kendall Wright in the slot. Josh Bellamy is considered more of a special teams stalwart. The Bears cut Deonte Thompson earlier the month, and he posted four catches for 107 receiving yards for the Bills on Sunday.
Inman, who went undrafted out of Virginia, had seven catches for 120 yards against the Saints last year. Asked how long it takes a receiver to learn plays, Fox said that it “depends on the guy.” If he does not play Sunday, he’ll have the bye week to catch up before the Bears play the Packers. Offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said it’s “very difficult” to pick up the playbook on the fly, but called him a “smart, savvy player that should be able to provide some leadership in a young room.”
Inman provides the Bears a patch, and at a reasonable price. Wanting to build through the draft, the Bears will generally be hesitant to trade draft picks for short-term solutions.
The Bears have another six days to make any more trades; the league deadline is Oct. 31.
“I’ve heard he’s a good player and I’ll just help him any way we can,” quarterback Mitch Trubisky said. “He’s part of this team and family now. We’re invested in all of our guys and we’re going to get him as ready as we can as well as the other guys. So we’ve just got to continue to get better as a room, get better as a team and help him n any way I can with the playbook, out on the field, staying after routes, just develop that chemistry, develop that timing and I’m looking forward to it.”
