The Chicago Bears revamped their wide receiver room this offseason in the wake of some losses. D.J. Moore was traded to the Buffalo Bills, while Olamide Zaccheaus left in free agency to return to Atlanta. First, the team signed veteran free agent Kalif Raymond, who has deep ties to head coach Ben Johnson from their time together in Detroit. Then the Bears grabbed speedy Zavion Thomas in the 3rd round of the draft. Together with Rome Odunze, Luther Burden and Jahdae Walker, it feels like the Bears have a nice assortment of talents to work with.
Johnson said as much during his opening press conference before rookie minicamps. He likes the varied skill sets each receiver brings to the table. It gives the Bears plenty of options when formulating offensive ideas. However, Johnson also indicated the team might not be done adding to the position. He feels you can never have enough competition, and depth is still a focus for them as preparations for training camp get underway.
Ben Johnson and the Bears have some options to explore.
Scotty Miller
This one is the most obvious, since the Bears already brought him in to try out at their rookie minicamps. Miller was a prominent slot target for Tom Brady during the 2020 season, helping Tampa Bay win the Super Bowl. He has a good blend of speed and quickness, two things Johnson seems to covet. Sadly, injuries have hampered his career, causing him to bounce around the league.
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Gabriel Davis
Davis looked like an emerging weapon during his first four seasons in Buffalo, regularly averaging around 700 yards and six touchdowns. Leaving the team for Jacksonville in 2024 was probably a mistake. Injuries limited him to ten games. He returned to Buffalo last year but didn’t get the same playing time. Davis has good size and underrated vertical ability. He can contribute to the run game as well.
Juju Smith-Schuster
Though he never quite reached the same heights after leaving Pittsburgh, Smith-Schuster has been a solid veteran when given opportunities. He is a savvy route-runner with reliable hands who can create opportunities for himself. If Ben Johnson is focused on finding somebody who can work from the slot. Smith-Schuster has proven he can do that over most of his career, even though he’s lost some of his explosiveness.
Hunter Renfrow
Speaking of slot targets, Renfrow has been overlooked for a long time as somebody who can play that role. He did it very well for the Raiders a few years ago. For whatever reason, teams haven’t wanted to give him more opportunities. This is probably due to his mix of smaller size and average speed. Still, his experience alone should make for a nice depth option the Bears can lean on in a pinch.
Curtis Samuel
While he never lived up to his billing as a 2nd round pick, Samuel has carved out a long career as a solid depth receiver for several teams. He offers considerable speed and versatility, able to catch passes and also take hand-offs as a runner. That would immediately appeal to somebody like Johnson. Having one guy like that is nice. Having three? That creates chaos, and this coach loves chaos.
