Countdown to Bears Training Camp: WR Equanimeous St. Brown

Chicago Bears 2022 training camp kicks off July 26 and will run through September 1. It’ll be an exciting time for a Bears roster that has undergone a significant makeover in general manager Ryan Poles’ first offseason. He’s added a blend of rookies and veterans who will compete for starting jobs on both sides of the ball, and with a new coaching staff in charge of the depth chart, Chicago will be a meritocracy in 2022.

In this series on Bears Talk, we’ll countdown the days until training camp with player spotlights. Next up: wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown

Background

Equanimeous St. Brown signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears on March 18 after spending the first three years of his career with the Green Bay Packers. The former Notre Dame star was selected in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft but failed to make much of an impact in the Packers’ passing offense. His best season came as a rookie when he totaled 21 catches for 328 yards. For his career, St. Brown has 37 catches for 543 yards and one touchdown.

As an NFL Draft prospect, St. Brown presented as an above-average size/speed player. He measured 6-5, 214 pounds at the 2018 NFL Combine and ran an impressive 4.48 40-yard dash. His bloodlines are outstanding, too. His brother — Amon-Ra — shined as a rookie with the Detroit Lions in 2021, and his father, John Brown, was a two-time Mr. Universe and three-time Mr. World weightlifter. St. Brown fell in the 2018 NFL draft because of his incomplete skill set. He hasn’t put it all together yet in the pros, but he’ll get a chance to prove he belongs in the Chicago Bears’ long-term plans this season.

2022 Outlook

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Equanimeous St. Brown is a familiar player to offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, who certainly played a part in the Bears’ decision to sign him. Getsy had an up-close look at St. Brown’s talent over the last couple of seasons, and he must like his fit for his offense. And it’s that familiarity and fit that should afford St. Brown a leg up on an open wide receiver competition this summer. He’ll compete with Byron Pringle to start opposite Darnell Mooney. And while Pringle is the higher-paid free-agent signing, St. Brown’s opportunity to unseat him with the first team is real.

St. Brown is still a young player. He won’t turn 26 until the start of the 2022 season, and if he shows out this fall, he’ll set himself up for a healthy multi-year deal. But it’d be foolish to expect him to suddenly transform into a dominant physical mismatch in his fourth season as a pro. Sure, he could emerge as a fantastic breakout player for a Chicago Bears offense that desperately needs one, but there isn’t enough evidence on tape to feel confident that that breakout is coming in 2022. Just don’t tell Getsy that.

“Davante (Adams) wasn’t Davante until he became Davante,” Getsy said of the Bears” unproven wide receivers this offseason. “I think the system will enable some of these guys to play at their potential. We’ll give them an opportunity to show what they’ve got.”

Equanimeous St. Brown is a lock to make the Chicago Bears’ final roster. Barring injury, he’ll be a significant factor in the wide receiver rotation to begin the year. Whether he can turn this opportunity into legitimate NFL production is one of the biggest questions facing the Bears’ offense in 2022.