Trading D.J. Moore wasn’t what the Chicago Bears wanted to do. It was merely a necessity of the team’s financial situation. They felt unloading the veteran receiver, while painful, was the least devastating blow they could take. While the team still has an assortment of exciting offensive weapons, head coach Ben Johnson knew they would have to replace Moore. The question was how. Ultimately, he pushed general manager Ryan Poles to bring in veteran Kalif Raymond, whom Johnson had worked with for years in Detroit.
Most figured this was a solid depth move. Johnson wanted somebody he could trust in the lineup. Except things are never that cut-and-dry with the Bears’ head coach. He had a very specific reason for targeting Raymond over other options. He revealed it to Gabby Hadjuk of Chicagobears.com. It isn’t a secret that Johnson wasn’t happy with how the receivers performed last season, specifically as route runners. He knew that Raymond operated at top speed at all times, setting an example for everybody else.
“You wouldn’t know looking at him right now that he’s 31, going on 32,” Johnson said. “He has this vertical push to his game where he comes raging off the football, and if you’re a DB you can’t help but back up and that carries over with all the routes that he runs. I think it’s been really good for our young route runners to see because it’s really what we want to see across the board. He’s been exactly what we hoped for when he came into the building. It’s as good as I’ve seen him in the spring, based on my time with him over the last five years.”
Kalif Raymond is an upgrade over Moore.
Before people grab their pitchforks, this is in reference to a specific stat. Yards Per Route Run (YPRR) is one of the best advanced metrics available for determining which receivers are the most efficient. It takes away muddying factors like quarterback play and passing volume. Raymond had a YPRR score of 1.33 last season. That was better than Jerry Jeudy, Tre Tucker, Darnell Mooney, Xavier Worthy, and yes, D.J. Moore. The former Bears receiver had a YPRR score of just 1.21, confirming what many had felt about him last season. His routes were often too sloppy and inefficient.
Keep in mind that Raymond’s score was 1.68 in 2024, his last season with Johnson calling plays in Detroit. He has proven to be a much better receiver in this offense. Last year was an unfortunate side effect of playing in a poor scheme that was crowded with other players soaking up targets like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs. With Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus out of the way in Chicago, there is a strong possibility that Kalif Raymond gets a heavier workload.
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The Bears don’t need him to be the star.
That is not his role. Johnson wanted a veteran presence after losing Moore. Raymond is about as good as you can ask for in that regard. He’s widely celebrated as a teammate and locker room leader. The way he approaches the game is as dedicated and professional as it gets. If that rubs off on young guys like Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, and Zavion Thomas, the signing will have been a success. Anything beyond that from a statistical standpoint will be icing on the cake.
Give Coach Johnson credit. He knew what the team needed after last season. While the coaches can be expected to work on the route-running issues, he wanted somebody who’d help illustrate their desires through action on the field. Raymond was the perfect solution: experienced, knowledgeable of the system, and cheap. Given how Johnson loves to distribute the football, you can bet the receiver will be rewarded with a solid chunk of targets compared to the pittance he got last season.
