Being a huge Notre Dame Fighting Irish fan, I got to see the rise of wide receiver Will Fuller over the last few years. Also being a huge Chicago Bears fan, I’ve been able to make fun of essentially everything they do on the football field because they’ve been a horrible joke over the last few years. They definitely improved in 2015, but they’re no where on pace to be a contender for virtually anything.

Sure, they had injuries (who didn’t?). Kevin White was out, and the offensive line was patched together from spare parts. Matt Forte missed time. Alshon Jeffery missed time. The list goes on and on. Even if everyone stayed healthy, though, I don’t think the Bears were a playoff team last year.

Why? The severe lack of speed on offense. When you look at the league’s best teams, they’re loaded with speed all over the offensive side of the ball. They have at least one guy who can stretch the field at any given time. The Bears don’t — not like that. Jeffery is quick, big and can jump, but he’s not a speed demon and anyone who thinks otherwise is incorrect.

On the other hand, that’s exactly who Fuller is — a speedy WR who could likely play the slot as well as the outside in the NFL. Plus, he’ll fly completely under the radar because of his size. No, he’s not a huge receiver, but the Bears don’t need him to be. They need him to be able to run past a secondary and make big plays. They need a home run threat on every play. He did that through his entire career at Notre Dame and continued to improve on his route running, which will allow him to do more and more in the Bears’ offense.

Stick Fuller in the slot with Jeffery and White (assuming he’s healthy) on the outside, and now all of a sudden you have options on offense. You have three big playmaking guys who can all do different things on the football field. Jay Cutler has never had that. The Bears have never really had that, and it makes me excited.

If Fuller falls to the Bears when they pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, I’d be horrified if they passed him up. This is one element they need.