The Chicago Bears start the preseason against the Kansas City Chiefs. Many eyes will be on Equanimeous St. Brown, as the receiver is already making a lasting impression on more than just his head coach and quarterback.

Munich – Equanimeous St. Brown has made quite an impression in his first weeks with the Chicago Bears. Before the first preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs, the German-American is showered with praise.

While the reporters are quite surprised, Head Coach Matt Eberflus rejoices: “He’s great. He’s a real professional and works very hard on details.” For the new guy on the sidelines, the eldest of the three brothers “is certainly one of the leaders of the receiver group, coaching the guys and showing them the way. And then he shows that on the field, with his play, his effort and his performance. “

Fields calls St. Brown “weapon in the offense “

At least as important: The chemistry with Justin Fields is right. The young quarterback emphasises: “He’s definitely always in the right place and knows where to run on certain plays. Definitely, he’s a weapon in the offence.” The 23-year-old also refers to a circumstance that may have made it much easier for St. Brown to settle in in the “Windy City”.

That’s because offensive coordinator Luke Getsy already knows the 2018 sixth-round draft pick as a passing game coordinator with the Green Bay Packers. In four years with the division rival, however, St. Brown didn’t really become a factor in the passing game – something that had as much to do with the prominent competition of Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling or Allen Lazard as it did with his injury problems that kept him out of action for more than a year.

So Aaron Rodgers was rarely tempted to throw on number 19. Nevertheless, St. Brown showed quite good approaches in the productive offence, even when chasing towards the end zone after the catch. However, he earned more merit in Wisconsin as a blocker and special teamer.

St. Brown in front of Pringle and Harry

And so many observers expected the Bears to play a similar role. Darnell Mooney, Byron Pringle and Velus Jones Jr. were traded higher than the California native when he started.

That has long since changed. The initial depth chart has St. Brown as the starter alongside the likely seed Mooney, with Pringle and N’Keal Harry to line up behind him, but he’ll be out for weeks anyway because of an ankle injury.

Motivation thanks to brother Amon-Ra?

With the Bears signing him to a one-year deal, the 25-year-old could finally show he’s capable of holding his own as a pass receiver in the NFL. The rookie year of his brother Amon-Ra with the Detroit Lions – another club from the NFC North – with a remarkable six touchdowns should give him additional motivation.

The former Notre Dame student spoke relatively candidly about the frustrations of his first stop in the league in The Athletic a few days ago. “When you’re running hot and you still have to wait, it’s a horrible feeling. I don’t want to think back to that,” he recalled of game days on the sidelines.

Frustration over missed cut at Packers

Rightly annoyed that he missed the final cut last year: “Maybe people experienced me more emotionally then, because I’m actually rather calm and level-headed.” It was only after various personnel problems in the Packers’ receiving corps that he finally made the roster after weeks on the practice squad.

In his first four NFL years with the Packers, the Super Bowl was always the declared goal of the season. It had to be – given the abundance of stars. With the Bears, things look completely different. Even a playoff berth seems utopian.

St. Brown at Bears one for the Red Zone

Therefore, Equanimeous’ situation in 2022 is somewhat reminiscent of Amon-Ra’s in 2021 – with the small but subtle difference that he already has considerably more experience. Which is why he is also leading the way. But like his three-year younger brother, he worked his way out of the shadows and into the limelight. Only before the season.

The red zone seems to be his favourite territory with the Bears, according to observers. When the end zone is approaching and the defence is compacting the space more and more. But at 1.96 metres and 97 kilograms, St. Brown is predestined to dig through the defensive bulwark. If he is on the move with the ball, you have to stop him first and bring him to the ground.

Fields: “He hardly makes any mistakes “

Fields also points out another merit of his new colleague: “He really hardly makes any mistakes when we convert the plays.” So it seems St. Brown has really arrived in Chicago in the NFL. Would have fun playing the game.

Best conditions for the Bears to have a lot of fun with him. And the NFL fans, too, of course.