Chicago Bears fans pretty much shrugged when the team signed Jahdae Walker. The wide receiver wasn’t exactly a household name in college. He’d been a decent player for Texas A&M, but never what anyone would call a go-to guy. In 26 games, he had 64 catches for 935 yards and 4 touchdowns. Nothing about that screamed somebody who’d make it in the NFL. That was why it was a minor surprise when he put together an impressive preseason as a rookie, claiming a roster spot.
It was an even bigger surprise when he became one of the team’s unheralded heroes by catching a touchdown in the 4th quarter to tie Green Bay. This forced overtime, which the Bears would go on to win, cementing their eventual division title. If that were the extent of Walker’s time in Chicago, fans would be happy with it. However, it’s becoming apparent the wide receiver isn’t just a fluke. He has put together a terrific training camp and provided another memorable highlight in the preseason.
Jahdae Walker might be a legitimate find for the Bears.
We’re not talking about a bottom-of-the-depth-chart guy who might give you a couple of nice catches in a season. He looks like somebody who could play significant snaps. His size, hands, and underrated speed make him a threat. It is pretty clear that head coach Ben Johnson and wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El have had a significant impact on his development. Walker looks nothing like the player he was coming out of college. He’s playing with confidence and much better technique.
This isn’t the emergency guy anymore. Jahdae Walker looks like the Bears’ #4 wide receiver in this offense, with Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, and Kalif Raymond ahead of him. That means much more than some may realize. Johnson’s offense likes spreading the ball around. The fourth-most targeted receiver last season was Burden with 60 targets. Walker was targeted 10 times last season for 87 yards. That would come out to 522 yards if he were to get 60 targets—pretty good production for an undrafted receiver.
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The Bears always seem to have some undrafted magic at receiver.
Every so often, the team seems to unearth a player out of nowhere who becomes a legitimate threat in the passing game. You had Dennis McKinnon in the 1980s, Tom Waddle in the 1990s, Rashied Davis in the 2000s, and Cameron Meredith ever so briefly in the 2010s. Plenty of previous undrafted receivers have come through the doors in the past few years, but none have managed to stick. Walker looks ready to assume that mantle. He has the ability and the growing trust of the coaching staff.
If you follow Bears history, team success often follows when they start landing hits in the undrafted market. Walker’s arrival isn’t just a great story in its own right; it also signals that the franchise might be entering another boom period. Anything he produces moving forward is pure profit for the Bears. Walker is that unexpected $20 bill you find in your coat pocket. Now the team gets to go spend it however they want.
