Expect to see a lot more of Mooney
Bears coach Matt Nagy watched rookie wide receiver Darnell Mooney zip all over the field during preseason practices, but he was cautious about turning him loose in a game.
But after seeing how he played in the opener against the Lions, Nagy is ready to expand Mooney’s role heading into the upcoming game against the Giants at Soldier Field. Mooney was on the field for just 21 plays Sunday (32% of the snaps) but caught all three of his targets for 38 yards — a pair of 19-yard gains and one that stopped at the line of scrimmage.
“The lights were not too bright for him, not at all,” Nagy said. “You saw his first catch, right over the middle. He caught the ball, went to his knees and had enough recognition to get back up and try to run. You saw the moves he made on his second catch on the left on the spin route.”
Mooney, a fifth-round pick from Tulane, was a relative afterthought in the draft. The Bears took two other players in the fifth round, pass rusher Trevis Gipson and cornerback Kindle Vildor, before they got to Mooney at 173rd overall. He was the 25th wide receiver picked.
More opportunities for Mooney could come at the expense of veteran Ted Ginn, who played 43% of the snaps Sunday but had just one target. Nagy sounds as if he’s already leaning in that direction.
“It was very encouraging to see where he’s at,” Nagy said of Mooney. “We were really impressed with how he played, and I think you’re going to definitely see more of him.”
New horizons for Parkey
Kicker Cody Parkey, infamous for the “Double Doink” that cost the Bears their playoff game against the Eagles after the 2018 season, will get another opportunity this week. The Browns will add him from their practice squad after cutting Austin Seibert. He’ll kick Thursday against the Bengals.
No news is good news
The Bears still aren’t fully healthy, but Nagy said there were no new injuries coming out of the opener. Linebacker Khalil Mack (knee) and running back David Montgomery (groin) handled their typical workloads and should continue to improve heading toward the Giants game. The Bears will have an update Wednesday on linebacker Robert Quinn, who missed the opener with an ankle injury.
The other Mack is back
The Bears added Mack’s younger brother, outside linebacker Ledarius Mack ,to the practice squad. He was with the team through the preseason but didn’t make the cut. They released defensive tackle Abdullah Anderson to add him.