Bears Look To Future at WR Position with Trade of Anthony Miller to Texans
Per NFL Network insiders Ian Rappaport and Mike Garafolo, The Bears and Texans have agreed on a trade that will send wide receiver Anthony Miller to the Houston Texans. In exchange for Miller, the two teams are swapping late-round picks in next year’s draft. The Bears chose the wide receiver with the 51st overall pick out of Memphis in 2018.
The Texans have traded for the dynamic route runner, Anthony Miller. I like this move
— Full-Time Dame 💰 (@DP_NFL) July 25, 2021
Miller showed flashes of his potential over the last three years, but the emergence of rookie Darnell Mooney last year made the veteran expendable. Miller’s ejection in last year’s Wild Card playoff game was likely the final straw for the organization.
Mooney established himself almost immediately as the clear-cut No. 2 WR behind Allen Robinson, taking the position away from Miller in Week 2. With sporadic playing time, Miller finished the season with 49 receptions for 485 yards and two touchdowns, the bulk of that production coming while Nick Foles was the starting quarterback.
The Bears added veterans Marquise Goodwin and Damiere Byrd in free agency and drafted Dazz Newsome in the 6th round of this year’s draft. All three are expected to break camp with Chicago for the season opener against the Rams. The final spot will come down to a battle between Javon Wims and Riley Ridley unless GM Ryan Pace grabs a player released by another team ahead during camp.
From Houston’s perspective, Miller gets what amounts to a one-year tryout. He’s flashed potential in the past, and he’s in the final year of his rookie contract. Because this is a rebuilding year for the Texans, the three-year veteran has an opportunity to play for an extension or parlay a good season into a nice free-agent contract in 2022.
