The Chicago Bears need a wide receiver to replace Allen Robinson, who departed this offseason after signing a three-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams — and they may be eyeing his potential replacement in the upcoming draft.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Bears are hosting former Arkansas wideout Treylon Burks for a visit around 10 days before the draft officially kicks off on April 28:
Burks is widely expected to be a first-round selection this year, but at least one draft expert, Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, thinks the former Razorbacks receiver will fall to Round 2, and if that happens, he’d be a possibility for Chicago, who hold the No. 39 and No. 48 picks in the second round.
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Burks Would Be Ideal A-Rob Replacement
Robinson spent the last four seasons with the Bears, and he was the team’s top wideout over that span, catching 293 passes on 465 targets for 3,561 yards and 18 touchdowns. He never developed a solid on-field connection with quarterback Justin Fields, however, and now, Fields and the Bears will need someone who can match A-Rob’s production.
Burks can certainly do that.
Not only could he fill the ‘X’ receiver spot vacated by Robinson, the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Burks is versatile enough to line up anywhere while also being a legitimate red zone threat.
Burks had 146 receptions for 2,399 yards (16.4 yards per catch) and 18 touchdowns in three seasons at Arkansas playing against top SEC competition. The question isn’t whether he’d help Chicago’s offense — the question is whether he’ll actually fall into the second round.
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Burks’ Combine Performance Didn’t Help His Draft Stock
Burks earned a 91.0 receiving grade and an 85.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in 2021, and he has been an absolute beast on the field over the last three seasons. He didn’t put up the fastest time at the NFL scouting combine in March, however, running a 4.55 40-yard dash while leaping for a lackluster 33-inch vertical.
His route-running also needs to improve, and coupled with his showing at the combine, a few analysts, most notably Pauline, think he might slip.
Considering his talent and versatility, the combine results may not ultimately mean that much. Burks’ 219 screen yards ranked 13th among all wide receivers with over 50 targets last year, and he’s proven effective at catching passes from anywhere. He had 12 deep catches and 18 screen catches last year, and he has had at least 200 snaps in the slot in each of the past three seasons, per PFF.
Burks wins largely because of his size, but his hands are also excellent, and he could be an asset to just about any offenses in the league.
Again, it’s not likely he’ll fall to the Bears in the second round, but it seems clear they’re checking him out in the event he might. One or two top talents invariably fall in the draft every year. Will Burks be one of them? We won’t have to wait long to find out.
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