The Chicago Bears did not address the wide receiver position until the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, but they dipped into the free agent market on Thursday to ensure at least one deep threat will be in the lineup come September, signing former New Orleans Saints target Ted Ginn Jr. to a one-year contract. First reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the news marks the club's first notable offensive addition since March's trade for quarterback Nick Foles.
Chicago had long been searching for speed at WR, per Rapoport, and while fifth-round pick Darnell Mooney could very well bring that to the Bears' pass-catching corps after running a 4.38-second 40-yard dash out of Tulane, Ginn also brings a wealth of experience at the position. The 35-year-old, who spent the last three seasons in New Orleans, has 83 career starts under his belt and figures to compete for the No. 2 role opposite Allen Robinson out wide.
Ginn isn't necessarily a 16-game starter at this point in his career, having missed 12 games in the last three years and logging no more than 30 catches in back-to-back seasons. But on a roster absolutely overflowing with tight ends, including offseason addition Jimmy Graham and second-round pick Cole Kmet, he at least brings some level of downfield ability for either Mitchell Trubisky or Nick Foles, whomever ends up starting at quarterback.
Originally drafted ninth overall back in 2007, Ginn is now on his sixth NFL team and fourth in seven years. Once heralded as a kick returner as much as a receiver, he really hit his stride during a second stint with the Carolina Panthers starting in 2015, when he caught a career-high 10 touchdowns during the club's Super Bowl run. Since then, Ginn has twice topped 750 yards receiving and averaged nearly 14 yards per reception. He had 421 yards and two scores while starting nine games for the Saints in 2019.
