- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 421,237
- Reaction score
- 43
The Chicago Bears are in the middle of an important offseason, where they're looking to develop into a contender under new head coach Ben Johnson.
Following a busy free agency that included some big-name additions, including offensive linemen Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman, as well as defensive linemen Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo, the Bears are shifting their focus toward the 2025 NFL draft.
Chicago has seven draft picks, even after their two trades, including four in the Top 75 -- 10th overall, a pair of high second rounders and a third-round selection.
Here at Bears Wire, we're going position by position to break down where Chicago stands entering the 2025 NFL draft. Next up is wide receiver, where DJ Moore and Rome Odunze lead the charge in Johnson's offense.
The wide receiver room is going to looking a bit different than last year which was mainly featuring Moore, Odunze and veteran Keenan Allen. The Bears gave Moore an extension going into the 2024 season, and Odunze was the No. 9 overall pick in last year's draft, so those two are going to be at the forefront of the position. What happens behind those two leaders will be determined by the new coaching staff, but the front office brought in veterans who will have plenty of opportunity to earn playing time and become weapons for Ben Johnson's offense.
Veterans Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay will be the ones who likely get the most run behind Moore and Odunze, and they could really carve out a role for themselves in the offense. Duvernay will most likely be used primarily as a special teams contributor, but Zaccheaus, who had 45 catches, 506 yards, and three touchdowns for the Washington Commanders last season, could be an underrated weapon for quarterback Caleb Williams.
Tyler Scott is the only player at the position who has seen time on the field in previous seasons but has never been able to breakthrough for a consistent role with the offense. Coming into 2025, Scott may be on the roster bubble during training camp and preseason but the rest of the roster with Miles Boykin, Samori Toure, John Jackson, and Maurice Alexander should be considered for depth purposes only.
The big loss for the wide receiver room this offseason was veteran Keenan Allen, who was praised by his teammates and coaches during his lone season in Chicago. Many around Allen labeled him as one of the, if not the, smartest football player they'd been around, and he showed that on the field, establishing himself as one of the most reliable weapons during Williams' rookie season. DeAndre Carter was called upon to step up in offense when there were injuries that opened the door for him to get more opportunities.
There's no desperate or urgent need to add another wide receiver, after the veteran additions the team made this offseason. One of the biggest reasons there's little need for another receiver is what is expected to be a growth from Odunze in his second season under the new look offense that his coach will bring. It's hard to see a scenario in which Odunze surpasses Moore as the team's top receiver, but Ben Johnson is innovative and he's going to have plenty of different plans to maximize Moore and Odunze's elite talent. The Bears have a WR1 and WR1B at the top of the depth chart, there's no reason to focus on bringing in another name in the early rounds.
There's still no official word what position Travis Hunter will play in the NFL, but the other four wide receivers are the cream of the crop in a position group that is lacking deep depth. Although it is unlikely that all five will be drafted in the first round, but the talent is there for them, and they'll all hear their names drafted early. Chicago used their two first round picks wisely in the 2024 draft, getting both Odunze and quarterback Caleb Williams, and the two will certainly be connected throughout their Bears careers, which many hope is for a long time for both players. In the 2025 NFL draft, it'll be the top five wide receivers listed and then a significant drop off from there. The Bears don't need to focus on the wide receiver position because they made big moves to cement it before the 2024 season.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 2025 NFL draft preview: Where do Chicago Bears stand at wide receiver?
Continue reading...
Following a busy free agency that included some big-name additions, including offensive linemen Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman, as well as defensive linemen Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo, the Bears are shifting their focus toward the 2025 NFL draft.
Chicago has seven draft picks, even after their two trades, including four in the Top 75 -- 10th overall, a pair of high second rounders and a third-round selection.
Here at Bears Wire, we're going position by position to break down where Chicago stands entering the 2025 NFL draft. Next up is wide receiver, where DJ Moore and Rome Odunze lead the charge in Johnson's offense.
Who's on the roster?
- DJ Moore
- Rome Odunze
- Olamide Zaccheaus
- Devin Duvernay
- Tyler Scott
- Miles Boykin
- Samori Toure
- John Jackson
- Maurice Alexander
The wide receiver room is going to looking a bit different than last year which was mainly featuring Moore, Odunze and veteran Keenan Allen. The Bears gave Moore an extension going into the 2024 season, and Odunze was the No. 9 overall pick in last year's draft, so those two are going to be at the forefront of the position. What happens behind those two leaders will be determined by the new coaching staff, but the front office brought in veterans who will have plenty of opportunity to earn playing time and become weapons for Ben Johnson's offense.
Veterans Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay will be the ones who likely get the most run behind Moore and Odunze, and they could really carve out a role for themselves in the offense. Duvernay will most likely be used primarily as a special teams contributor, but Zaccheaus, who had 45 catches, 506 yards, and three touchdowns for the Washington Commanders last season, could be an underrated weapon for quarterback Caleb Williams.
Tyler Scott is the only player at the position who has seen time on the field in previous seasons but has never been able to breakthrough for a consistent role with the offense. Coming into 2025, Scott may be on the roster bubble during training camp and preseason but the rest of the roster with Miles Boykin, Samori Toure, John Jackson, and Maurice Alexander should be considered for depth purposes only.
You must be registered for see images
Who departed this offseason?
- Keenan Allen
- DeAndre Carter
- Collin Johnson
The big loss for the wide receiver room this offseason was veteran Keenan Allen, who was praised by his teammates and coaches during his lone season in Chicago. Many around Allen labeled him as one of the, if not the, smartest football player they'd been around, and he showed that on the field, establishing himself as one of the most reliable weapons during Williams' rookie season. DeAndre Carter was called upon to step up in offense when there were injuries that opened the door for him to get more opportunities.
Positional need: Moderate
There's no desperate or urgent need to add another wide receiver, after the veteran additions the team made this offseason. One of the biggest reasons there's little need for another receiver is what is expected to be a growth from Odunze in his second season under the new look offense that his coach will bring. It's hard to see a scenario in which Odunze surpasses Moore as the team's top receiver, but Ben Johnson is innovative and he's going to have plenty of different plans to maximize Moore and Odunze's elite talent. The Bears have a WR1 and WR1B at the top of the depth chart, there's no reason to focus on bringing in another name in the early rounds.
You must be registered for see images
Top draft prospects
- Tetairoa McMillan
- Travis Hunter
- Luther Burden III
- Emeka Egbuka
- Matthew Golden
There's still no official word what position Travis Hunter will play in the NFL, but the other four wide receivers are the cream of the crop in a position group that is lacking deep depth. Although it is unlikely that all five will be drafted in the first round, but the talent is there for them, and they'll all hear their names drafted early. Chicago used their two first round picks wisely in the 2024 draft, getting both Odunze and quarterback Caleb Williams, and the two will certainly be connected throughout their Bears careers, which many hope is for a long time for both players. In the 2025 NFL draft, it'll be the top five wide receivers listed and then a significant drop off from there. The Bears don't need to focus on the wide receiver position because they made big moves to cement it before the 2024 season.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 2025 NFL draft preview: Where do Chicago Bears stand at wide receiver?
Continue reading...
