The Bears may have bigger questions on the road to 2026, but at wide receiver they’re dealing with the kind of headache every team wants and still dreads.
Chicago’s top end is crowded with talent. Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III and Kalif Raymond are set to start, and the conversation has shifted to the players trying to force their way into the rest of the room. Jahdae Walker and rookie Zavion Thomas have looked good enough to feel like roster locks, and that’s where the squeeze really begins.
The Bears now have a decision to make on whether they keep five or six receivers, and that choice could get messy fast. Kaden Davis sits near the center of it all. He’s been strong enough to put himself in the mix, but that same production could make him difficult to stash if Chicago tries to sneak him through.
Behind him, Maurice Alexander, JP Richardson and Scotty Miller have also been steady. Alexander and Richardson appear to be the likelier practice squad candidates, while Miller seems more vulnerable to being claimed if the Bears try to waive him.
Ray-Ray McCloud is another name to watch. He opened the preseason with a sharp outing against the Cleveland Browns, grabbing three catches for 63 yards. But he didn’t record a catch against the Cincinnati Bengals, and that leaves him with work to do as the roster picture tightens.
Walker created this same kind of issue last year as an undrafted rookie by flashing in the preseason, and Davis now looks like he’s following that path. It’s a good problem for Chicago to have, but it still carries risk if the Bears misjudge it.
The final preseason game against the Tennessee Titans should help sort out the picture.
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Bears Suddenly Have A Real Decision To Make At Center
Logan Jones made the second week of the preseason hard to ignore, turning in a clean showing in pass protection and giving the Bears a legitimate jolt at a position that usually rewards steadiness over flash. His work has put a real spotlight on the middle of the offensive line, where Chicago suddenly has to weigh the upside of a promising young center against the comfort of the veteran already sitting in the chair.
Garrett Bradbury still brings the leadership and stability teams want in front of a young offense, but the rise of Jones has made this more than a routine camp storyline. If the Bears decide Jones is ready to take over, the conversation could quickly shift from who starts to what happens next with Bradbury, including whether Chicago would look to move him to help fill other needs on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Thuney Gives Bears Fans A Reason To Dream Bigger
Joe Thuney arrives in Chicago with the kind of rsum that instantly changes the tone around an offensive line conversation. A four-time Super Bowl winner who collected two titles in New England and two more in Kansas City, he also brings four Pro Bowl nods, three First-Team All-Pro selections and the distinction of being the NFLs inaugural Protector of the Year. For Bears fans, that is not just veteran depth, it is the profile of a player who has spent a career piling up the credentials that matter most.
The bigger question is how far that resume can still go in a Bears uniform, because the Hall of Fame case is already in place but not necessarily complete. Another championship in Chicago would only sharpen the argument, and so would any further individual recognition along the way. For a franchise that has spent years searching for stability up front, Thuney gives this team a level of credibility and a reason to think the next chapter could be more than just solid. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Rookie Just Made A Strong Case In A Crowded TE Battle
Sam Roush gave the Bears a useful reminder in the preseason matchup with the Bengals, turning two catches into 30 yards and flashing the kind of efficiency that can matter in a tight end room with limited openings. One of his best moments came on a 26-yard completion, helped along by a key block from fellow rookie Hayden Large, a player whose value has come more from the dirty work than the highlight reel.
Large is fighting for what looks like a long shot at either a fourth tight end spot or a place on the practice squad, but the fact that he is even in the conversation matters with Ben Johnson considering more three-tight end looks. If that package becomes part of the offense, the Bears may have to decide whether they want another blocker or another pass catcher, and performances like Roushs are starting to make that conversation a little more interesting. [Read more 🡒]