Marc Trestman said the Chicago Bears are not "anointing" Marquess Wilson as the No. 3 receiver in the offense, but the coach hopes the second-year player can develop like Alshon Jeffery did a year ago.
Wilson apparently will get the first shot at replacing Earl Bennett, who was released Tuesday after declining to take a pay cut. It creates a sizeable void in the offense. Bennett was only fifth on the team in receptions with 32, but he was on the field for 51.2 percent of the snaps.
That means the Bears must replace Bennett’s playing time with a new wide receiver or make a subtle shift in the offense and not rely on three-receiver sets as often. Wilson, a seventh-round pick last year from Washington State, has a wide-open opportunity.
“I think he showed that we can work with him and develop him,” Trestman said Sunday at the NFL owners’ meeting. “He’s got the football intelligence that we’re looking for and the ability to be flexible within the offense. He was consistent. So we’ll see how it goes. We’re not anointing people at this point in time. He’s going to have a chance to compete and be a part of what we do after Alshon and Brandon (Marshall). We’ll see how it goes. We’ve got a long way to go but we like (Wilson) and we’re excited about him to develop him and work him.”
Bennett wasn't much of a fantasy factor, and there probably aren't enough targets to go around to make Wilson fantasy-relevant (top 60) in 2014, though he looks like a good prospect in dynasty formats. He'll be a good handcuff for either Brandon Marshall or Alshon Jeffery in deeper leagues.
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