Bears Count Equanimeous St. Brown in for 2023

Equanimeous St. Brown is proof there is more to playing receiver than catching passes.

St. Brown became the first Bears player who signed on a one-year contract for 2022 to be brought back for next season when he agreed to a one-year contract extension at what NFL media reported at $1.25 million.

It had been GM Ryan Poles' strategy for dealing with a difficult salary cap situation to sign free agents in 2022 to one-year deals and St. Brown apparently has worked out well enough to return.

St. Brown could wind up with a career high for receptions. He has 20 for 320 yards. The 20 catches isn't exactly a large number considering he started 15 games, and was targeted 37 times. St. Brown also has 54 yards on six rushing attempts. St. Brown had a 41-yard reception against Green Bay, but also had a crucial dropped pass against Miami on fourth down that sealed a 35-32 loss for the Bears.

However, in St. Brown the Bears see more than a pass catcher. He was greatly involved in teaching the new offense that coordinator Luke Getsy brought in to other receivers during OTAs and training camp, as it is patterned after the offense he knew in Green Bay.

What St. Brown has done very well, according to Pro Football Focus, is block. He is rated the second-best blocker among receivers on pass plays, trailing only Kansas City's Justin Watson. He's graded as the seventh-best run blocker among all NFL wide receivers, as well.

St. Brown had been a free agent Green Bay did not bring back after last season and the Bears signed him for this season at $965,000.