On a roster filled with more depth than it’s had in years, it would be difficult for undrafted rookies to make any headway with the Chicago Bears. This isn’t three years ago, when the depth chart was barren and guys had much easier paths to a spot. If you want to make the final 53 this year, you’d need a strong training camp. Most of the small group of college free agents haven’t done much thus far, with one exception. The name that kept coming up through the first week of practices was JP Richardson.
The wide receiver out of TCU didn’t generate any buzz when he signed with the Bears. He was known as an undersized player who had some decent years in college but was never the primary target for his team. Nothing about him stood out. However, as we’ve seen many times in the NFL, certain players are greater than the sum of their parts. Richardson has kept making plays for over a week since hitting the field, and he capped it with a 50-yard catch and run for a touchdown at Family Fest.
JP Richardson is putting himself in a position to steal a spot.
Wide receiver is one of the most competitive jobs on the roster. The Bears already have four locks with DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, and Olamide Zacchaeus. That leaves only two left. It is a safe assumption that Devin Duvernay will take one of them because of his prowess as a return man. That means Richardson must beat out Tyler Scott, Maurice Alexander, and Myles Boykin for the sixth and final one. For all his standout moments on offense, this decision may come down to special teams. The good news is JP Richardson had over 253 punt return yards last season for TCU, including a touchdown. If he can make something happen in that area, the Bears won’t be able to let him walk.
