Bear Minimum

How bad have Chicago's pass catchers been? Since the 1970 NFL merger the Bears have averaged 186.9 receiving yards per game, the fewest for any team, and have seen a player top the 1,000-yard mark only seven times, tied for the second fewest. Marcus Robinson joined that fraternity in 1999. Alas, he's also among these Bears who couldn't catch a break.

WENDELL DAVIS

1988--93

LSU All-America broke out in '91 (945 yards, six TDs) before breaking down two years later, severing the patellar tendons in both knees on the infamous turf at Philly's Veterans Stadium.

TOM WADDLE

1989--94

Undrafted free agent out of BC led Chicago in catches and yards in '91 and '92 but was forced to retire in '95, at 28, after multiple concussions and an illegal hit that led to seven stitches on his chin.

BOBBY ENGRAM

1996--2000

Eighth on the Bears' alltime receptions list, he was considered kaput after tearing his right ACL in '00. Instead, he played nine more seasons with the Chiefs and Seahawks, for whom he had six catches in Super Bowl XL.

MARCUS ROBINSON

1998--2002

Former bench warmer's team-record 1,400 yards in '99 gave a glimmer of hope in a 6--10 season. But back and knee injuries made that one season an anomaly; he never again topped 750 yards.

DAVID TERRELL

2001--04

File Terrell's troubles under self-inflicted. Drafted eighth overall in '01, he repaid the Bears with 128 receptions for 1,602 yards over four desultory seasons. Among the WRs Chicago passed on in that draft: Steve Smith, Chad Johnson and Reggie Wayne.

JOHNNY KNOX

2009--PRESENT

He gave Chicago a second Pro Bowl return man with field-stretching receiver's speed, after Devin Hester—until he suffered a serious spinal injury last year. He's on the Bears' PUP list and will become a free agent after the season.

TWO PHOTOS

JOHN BIEVER (DAVIS AND WADDLE)

PHOTO

DAVID STLUKA/AP (ENGRAM)

PHOTO

JONATHAN DANIEL/GETTY IMAGES (ROBINSON)

PHOTO

G. NEWMAN LOWRANCE/WIREIMAGE.COM (TERRELL)

PHOTO

DENNIS WIERZBICKI/CAL SPORT MEDIA (KNOX)