The Chicago Bears have not been a team operating as if they’re content at wide receiver. They signed free agent Kalif Raymond in March, reuniting him with Ben Johnson. Then they drafted speedster Zavion Thomas out of LSU in the 3rd round. One would’ve thought the team would be happy with their depth chart going into the spring. Apparently not. Word came down from Adam Schefter that the Bears plan on bringing in veteran Scotty Miller for a tryout at some point next week.
Most people will remember the former 6th round pick from his memorable ascent in 2020 as one of Tom Brady’s favorite targets during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Super Bowl run. Miller’s backbreaking catch for a touchdown in the NFC Championship against Green Bay is a must-watch for Bears fans. Unfortunately, injuries derailed him the next season, and he was stuck as a backup moving forward, even after signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. If nothing else, he’ll bring valuable experience to a suddenly very young Bears receiving room.
Scotty Miller is unquestionably a Johnson decision.
One thing we know about the Bears’ head coach is that his offense tends to run through the slot receiver position. We saw that with Amon-Ra St. Brown in Detroit. However, the Bears didn’t really have a true slot guy on offense. Johnson rotated guys through, relying mostly on D.J. Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus, with mixed results. If there is one position that Miller was made to play, it is slot receiver. He has the ideal mix of quickness and speed to create constant matchup problems. Just look at his scouting report from 2019.
“Former track man with legitimate sprinter’s speed. Ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at his pro day. Early acceleration to blow past mismatched cornerbacks from slot. Very athletic and loose in his movements. Explodes out of breaks to open big windows. Eats up out-breaking routes all day long. Impressive catch finishing through heavy collisions. Can work all three levels of field from slot position.”
Nobody should’ve been surprised that he broke out in 2020 after Tom Brady arrived. The Hall of Fame quarterback was famous for weaponizing the slot receiver more than any quarterback in history. We saw it with Wes Welker, then with Julian Edelman. The problem with Miller is his size. At 5’9″ and 174 lbs, he is both short and thin, which often makes players more susceptible to injuries. Proving he’s healthy and still has juice will be the first task before the Bears consider signing him.
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Johnson refuses to stop tinkering.
This is not a coach who is satisfied with the status quo. The Bears wide receivers weren’t good enough last year. Not only did they suffer from issues with drops and route-running, but injuries were also a regular problem. Rome Odunze missed significant time due to a foot injury. Luther Burden got nicked up a few times. Moore was reportedly playing hurt towards the end of the season. It seems Johnson isn’t interested in banking on better health luck in 2026. To that end, he is shoring up the team’s depth.
Raymond and Thomas give them two intriguing options behind Odunze and Burden. Then you have Jahdae Walker eager to build on his promising rookie season. If you add Scotty Miller to that mix, suddenly the Bears have a six-deep position with a great mix of size, speed, and variety. Miller’s championship experience would also be a welcome bonus for a team still learning how to take the next step.
