When the Chicago Bears drafted Zavion Thomas, the plan seemed relatively straightforward. The team would at least get an explosive return man to replace the departed Devin Duvernay, while head coach Ben Johnson got a blazing fast receiver who could stretch the field vertically and serve as a gadget option. However, nothing is ever that simple. Not with this coach. Is there a possibility that Johnson has bigger plans for Thomas? Courtney Cronin of ESPN alluded to that possibility.
She made it sound like the rookie could get a serious look at another position this season. One you probably wouldn’t have expected.
“WR Zavion Thomas. Did Johnson draft his next Jahmyr Gibbs? Thomas, the versatile rookie who has been labeled “electric” by his wide receiver teammates, made a handful of plays during minicamp and could emerge as a valuable gadget player on offense while contributing his 4.28-second 40-yard dash speed as a returner.”
The idea of putting Thomas at running back may sound unusual, given his size and overall frame at 5’10”, 190 lbs. Then again, there is enough evidence to suggest the rookie is more capable of it than he gets credit for. Across three seasons between Mississippi State and LSU, he received 40 carries, rushing for 198 yards and a touchdown. Not all of them were reverses and jet sweeps either. He took legitimate carries out of the backfield.
The Gibbs comparison for Zavion Thomas isn’t totally crazy.
Detroit’s star running back is 5’9″ and 200 lbs. The key differences are his added weight and his greater experience at the position. So the first question to ask is: can Thomas put on 10 lbs without losing his trademark speed? That is something the Bears have either discussed already or soon will. Then it’s a matter of knowing how he’d handle a true running back workload. For that, you need toughness and vision. Johnson already has his answer to that question to a certain extent.
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Thomas is a return man, and a good one. Anybody will tell you that great return men must have toughness and vision as well. You need to be willing to take the heavy hits from oncoming gunners while also knowing how to exploit blocks from your teammates to find the open lane. There is a reason guys like Gale Sayers, Darren Sproles, and Christian McCaffrey were good return men in addition to being great running backs. The potential is there. What matters is how far Johnson aims to push it.
What role does the head coach want?
Does he ultimately see Zavion Thomas as a wide receiver, or is the true goal to eventually transition him to running back? If it’s the former, then it’s safe to presume Thomas will fill more of that Moore role. The former Bears receiver had 15 carries last season, serving as that gadget option who could catch defenses napping from time to time. If it’s the latter? You can bet the Bears will slowly work Thomas into the rotation during the season, getting him handfuls of carries here and there.
Don’t forget that D’Andre Swift is a free agent next offseason. He is currently the speed option in the backfield alongside Kyle Monangai. Presuming the Bears expect to let him walk, it would be wise to have an alternative ready at some point. Maybe Johnson feels Thomas can be molded for that eventual role this year. We’re likely to find out more as training camp unfolds in the next few weeks. If Thomas gets lots of work in the backfield, it should be a clear signal.
