Bears’ Former Draft Pick Sends Clear Mesage About Playing Time

Ryan Poles, Chicago Bears

With the No. 133 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears selected wide receiver Tyler Scott, a converted high school running back, out of Cincinnati. Scott’s rookie season was up and down, as most are. But he still flashed potential to be a contributor as soon as Year 2.

However, he has one reception for 5 yards, which came in Week 6 in 2024. So where have things gone awry?

Bears WR Tyler Scott Just Wants to Make an Impact

Tyler Scott Ready Role in Bears Offense

“Definitely a tough season. Definitely say it didn’t go how I expected it,” Scott told Clocker Sports on Monday. “Yesterday was a meaningful game for me. I, obviously, played a lot; the most I had since the regular season began.

“Before then, the last meaningful game I had played for the Bears was really the preseason game, [the] last one versus the Kansas City Chiefs. And I think that game had pretty much a 100-yard game. I had a tackle on special teams. I thought I had a pretty big game.”

Scott had 99 yards on six receptions in eight targets in the Bears’ preseason finale.

That game also featured a heavy dose of Brett Rypien, who was the most experienced quarterback on the Bears roster before getting cut and signing with the Minnesota Vikings.

“[I] felt good after playing there,” Scott said. “Thought I was going to have at least a decent impact. I know we had a lot of guys in the room. But I thought I was going to have a decent role as part of the team. But it didn’t work out that way. I’m not sure what necessarily I could have done, or did or didn’t do necessarily. But I try to do my best, work hard. But, yeah, definitely a tough season.”

Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown said there were no plans to get some of the Bears’ younger players more looks to end the season. That “group” is really just Scott on the Bears’ offense.

How much, if at all, he will be involved over the final three weeks of the season remains unclear.

For that reason, and the likely changes coming to the Bears this offseason, Scott embraced his opportunity in Week 16.

“I got the opportunity yesterday to get back on the field, which just – I just felt good to just have a role, you know what I’m saying? To go to play football again, whether that was on [special] teams, which, [I] played kickoff return. Got to play gunner as well yesterday, so that was fun, you know what I’m saying? Just to be able to just have a hand, just playing the game, and just being part of our organization,” Scott said.

“It’s a big offseason for me coming up going into Year 3, and then we’ll see what happens as far as just staff and everybody in the office. There’s a lot of question marks there moving forward. But, obviously, not up for me to decide. But there’s gonna be a big offseason for me and you come in and Year 3, hopefully, I can have a big role.”

Scott is not naive. He knows parts of his game must improve. He cited understanding defenses and anticipation – which he said was “probably the biggest differential between good players and great players and guys who are just entering the league” – among them.

Scott wants to be able to “see things happen before they happen.”

He equated it to “time relativity,” where the game moves slower for some than others. He said sometimes anticipation and understanding are more important than skill or technique.

“That’s kind of what I was trying to focus on and being on scout team throughout the year going against our defense. How can I continue to perfect my craft, understand what they’re doing?” Scott said.

“They do a lot of exotic things. And so just being good with my eyes, using those reps going against Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson – all those guys – using those to get better. Trying different things in my game, doing little things after. I think, as far as my body, as far as my recovery, I think has probably been a whole 360, for my diet, as far as just being ready.”

Scott pointed to his unexpected role as a gunner in Week 16.

He has played just 14 special teams snaps all season, another sign of how far off the map he had fallen. But Scott proudly touted his team-high speed mark in the game.

It is difficult for young players to prove themselves if they do not receive opportunities. Perhaps Scott’s is a situation where the things the coaching staff sees daily – be it on the practice field or in the classroom – are different from what the player sees or fans want.

At the same time, Scott’s ability to stretch the field, get YAC, and willingness to block are pluses.

The team faces questions with veteran Keenan Allen. DJ Moore and Rome Odunze are entrenched. But there is nothing in terms of an in-house pipeline behind them beyond Scott.

Yet Scott has played fewer offensive snaps this season than pending free agents Collin Johnson and DeAndre Carter, the Bears kick returner who has been on injured reserve for two weeks and went untargeted in eight games, per Pro Football Reference.

Scott has played 16 more offensive snaps than Velus Jones Jr for the Bears this season.

Jones split time as a running back – he has more career rushing attempts than receptions – before the Bears waived him in October.

The underlying question in all of this is whether or not the Bears have a problem developing players, particularly on offense. That, naturally, brings the question back to Caleb Williams and some of the inconsistencies he has shown in his development this season.

In the end, Scott is another example of why this Bears front office has a lot to prove still.

Darrell Taylor Wants to Stay With Bears

The Bears will face the Seattle Seahawks on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 17. The matchup has lost some of the luster from training camp when there were several more former Seahawks on the Bears roster and staff.

Rypien joins wide receiver Freddie Swain and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron among them. However, several current Bears have ties to them, including Darrell Taylor.

The Bears acquired Taylor, a second-round pick by the Seahawks in 2020, in August.

His playing time has been inconsistent. That is likely the result of game flow as much as anything. The Bears have trailed early and often since the bye week. But Taylor says the Bears tight-knit group has welcomed him with open arms and that he was excited about the trade.

“Everybody welcomed me in, and it was smooth coming in, so I couldn’t complain when I got here and still can’t,” Taylor told Clocker Sports on Wednesday.

“It was super easy coming in here and clicking with the guys and getting to know everybody.”

Taylor said the trade was business in the NFL. But Taylor was excited about the trade when it happened and the pending free agent says he remains interested in returning next season.

“I will definitely want to try to stay around as long as I can and help the team win, and win more games,” Taylor said. “That’s what it’s all about, and that’s what you’re in the game for. So, obviously, want to be here and putting forward the best effort I can possibly put so I can help the Chicago Bears win.”

Taylor was also asked how his energy helps the defense.

“It helps me a lot because I just feed off of them and they feed off me,” Taylor said. “Everybody knows I’m a energy guy. So I just give my energy and we all feed off of that, and we take it run with it. And we have fun, so. I love doing that and being that guy, so I don’t mind at all.”

Braxton Jones’ Season Officially Over

Bears left tackle Braxton Jones exited the loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 16 with a severe ankle injury. One day later, Brown announced Jones would undergo season-ending surgery to repair a fractured fibula.

His recovery is expected to take four months, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

That puts Jones on track to return well ahead of training camp. But so much may have changed by then. Free agency is in March and the 2025 NFL Draft is set for April.

Jones, a fifth-round pick in 2022, is under contract for 2025. But his role as the Bears starting LT is as uncertain as ever. It is a notable turn for a player who started all 17 games as a rookie. Jones has missed at least five weeks in each of the last two seasons.