NEW YORK -- The Chicago Bears can't pick wide receivers very well. They can't sign them very well either. So they keep trying.
The latest target: South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery with the No. 45 pick in the draft.
Jeffery looked like a potential top-10 pick entering his senior year, but he struggled with his weight. NFL Films' Greg Cosell notes that Jeffrey "played slow" as a senior and definitely is a "projection" player. That sounds like a Bears pick.
"We feel that Alshon has the best hands in the draft, we feel that he's the best at adjusting to the ball, we feel that he's the best sideline and end zone catcher in the draft," Bears general manager Phil Emery said, according to The Associated Press. "He's dynamic with the ball in his hands. He's a big man, he's strong, he's tough. He doesn't go down without a fight."
The Bears this offseason acquired Brandon Marshall, who in many ways is a better version of Jeffery. They are both big-bodied receivers who struggle to separate from defenders. Marshall is great after the catch, while Jeffrey has to prove he can do more than just catch jump balls.
With Johnny Knox possibly missing the season, the Bears will roll out Brandon Marshall, Earl Bennett and Jeffery at receiver. That's an improved group for Jay Cutler, but not a great one just yet.
