The end of the 2009 season was Devin Aromashodu's coming out party. Towards the end of the season, Quarterback Jay Cutler seemed to hit a stride with the tall receiver, and fans were clamoring for more of what they perceived to be a possible diamond in the rough, a "go-to" receiver for Cutler to develop with.
Flash forward to the 2010 Preseason, and the stars seemed to be aligning for Devin. With Earl Bennett hurting, he was getting some valuable time in the 3rd spot on the depth chart, and he seemed to be on track to continue what he was doing at the end of 2009.
Then the regular season happened.
After an "ok" game in the opener, Aromashodu's production declined. He was benched in the debacle against the New York Giants. Then he had some choice words in the Chicago Tribune, courtesy of a Brad Biggs article:
"I mean, you're not going to be perfect every play, that's something they have to understand. I mean, as coaches, they're not going to make the right call every play, so we just have to learn from our mistakes and try to do our best."
Hell of a team player, that guy. So went the rest of his season, seeing the field very little, seeing the ball even less. It looked more and more like there truly were reasons the Indianapolis Colts let him go, and he was never really able to get back out of the doghouse with the Bears.
A Restricted Free Agent, expect Aromashodu to be gone from this Bears roster. He's had enough time to show what he's worth, and he's not in the good eye of the coaching staff anymore. The Bears need someone more dependable, and you can expect them to search for that person this off-season. But don't just take my word for it.
Once again, we have the good word of WCG friend and mentor, John 'Moon' Mullin. (@CSNMoonMullin) Here's what he told WCG about Aromashodu:
Opport
unities were there and Aromashodu was the No. 3 early in training camp with Earl Bennett hurting. But Aromashodu slid down the depth chart almost weekly as he appeared unable to fit the slot role. He caught 5 (of 10 chances) passes in the opener, then 5 the rest of the season and started just one of the final 15 games in some part because of limited value on special teams. Look ahead: The Bears will be looking for a big wideout this offseason and Aromashodu will not be with the 2011 Bears.
For our other Free Agent pieces, click here.