The Chicago Bears had an overhaul at wide receiver this offseason. They traded a fourth-round pick to the Los Angeles Chargers to acquire veteran receiver Keenan Allen. In the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bears used the ninth overall pick to select standout wide receiver Rome Odunze from the University of Washington. With what could now be considered one of the top wide receiver trios in the NFL, there’s little room for the rest of the wide receivers on the roster. This puts 2023 fourth-round pick Tyler Scott in a challenging position and could make him a potential trade asset at the NFL Trade Deadline.
Bears Could Trade Tyler Scott to Saints, Chiefs
Tyler Scott’s Career Leading Up to Now
After a standout season at the University of Cincinnati, where he led the team in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and accounted for a third of the team’s total receiving yards, Tyler Scott entered the 2023 NFL Draft. With a 4.44-second 40-yard dash, Scott showcased his speed and demonstrated an impressive catch radius despite his smaller frame at 5’10” and 177 pounds. Drafted by the Bears, expectations were high that Scott would become a key offensive contributor. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, as Scott only managed to put up 17 catches for 168 yards in his rookie season.
Despite this, Scott showed promise during training camp, consistently making highlight-reel plays and building noticeable chemistry with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. It appeared he could step in if one of the top three receivers were sidelined, but that opportunity never materialized.
In Week 1’s win over the Tennessee Titans, Keenan Allen reaggravated a heel injury that initially occurred during training camp, causing him to miss the next two games. Many fans expected this to be Scott’s chance to step up, but instead, return specialist DeAndre Carter filled in for Allen. It’s puzzling, as Scott has remarkable talent, yet the Bears have not given him an opportunity this season. If they continue to overlook him, perhaps another team will recognize his potential and give him a shot.
Saints and Chiefs Could Be Logical Trade Destinations for the Speedster
Two teams that come to mind as potential suitors for Tyler Scott are the New Orleans Saints and the Kansas City Chiefs, both of which are dealing with depleted wide receiver corps due to injuries. The Saints’ receiver room has been hit hard, with Chris Olave recovering from a concussion and deep threat Rashid Shaheed potentially heading to injured reserve with a meniscus injury. As they approach their Week 7 matchup against the Denver Broncos, the Saints have only Maston Tipton, Bub Means, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. available at wide receiver.
For the Chiefs, it’s hard to compete for another Super Bowl win when their top two wideouts are sidelined indefinitely. Outside of Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes lacks a reliable target in the passing game. If the Chiefs are open to taking a chance on a relatively unproven but talented player, acquiring Scott could be a clever move.
