The Bears’ preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans carries a different kind of weight for Ray-Ray McCloud III. For Chicago, it’s the last chance to sort through a crowded receiver room. For McCloud, it feels like one more shot to convince the NFL he still belongs.
Chicago has loaded up at wideout, and that depth creates a brutal numbers game. There are only so many roster spots, and the Bears are now weighing who stays, who gets exposed to waivers in hopes of landing on the practice squad, and who gets left behind entirely. McCloud entered camp as a depth signing after injuries hit Luther Burden III and rookie Zavion Thomas, and while few expected him to crack the 53-man roster, the opportunity was still there to put useful tape out there for the rest of the league.
He made the most of his first appearance, catching three passes for 63 yards in the Bears’ 34-10 preseason win over the Cleveland Browns. The next week was a different story. In the 27-9 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, McCloud didn’t record an offensive stat.
Now the 29-year-old is staring at a game that could mean far more than a standard exhibition snap. He is two seasons removed from posting a career-high 686 yards and one touchdown with the Atlanta Falcons in 2024, but the margin for error is thin. Making Chicago’s roster still looks unlikely, so the goal is simpler and tougher at the same time: show enough to keep NFL teams interested.
That starts with doing what he has done for six teams since 2018 - working as a dependable slot receiver. It also means bringing value on special teams, where he has been a solid returner. If McCloud can flash in those areas against Tennessee, he may buy himself another call or two from around the league.
It’s not the headline most Bears fans are focused on, but it’s a real one. For McCloud, this could be the kind of game that decides whether the next chapter comes in Chicago or nowhere at all.
In Other News...
Bears Fans Have Every Right To Be Mad About This TE Disrespect
ESPNs Mike Clay dropped his tight end rankings and gave the Bears group a spot at No. 6, placing Chicago behind the Raiders, Cardinals, Lions, 49ers and Colts. For a room led by Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet, with rookie Sam Roush adding another layer of depth, it felt like the kind of ranking that immediately gets noticed around here, especially when the Bears believe this is one of the more intriguing collections of tight ends in the league.
Lovelands strong playoff showing only adds to the case that this group deserves more respect, while Kmet still looks like a player who could rebound after a quiet offseason stretch of change around him. The Bears have real talent and flexibility at the position, and the debate now is less about whether the group belongs in the conversation than how high it should have been placed in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Left Tackle Battle Could End Badly For Recent Top Pick
Kiran Amegadjie arrived in Chicago as a third-round pick with the kind of upside teams hope can settle a tackle spot for years, but the path since then has been rough. He has played in six games since 2024 and has not appeared in a regular-season game since Week 15 of that season, with penalties and performance issues pushing him down the depth chart and even prompting the Bears to try him at different spots.
Now the left tackle competition is tightening again as other players return from injury and re-enter the fight for snaps. With the NFL roster deadline coming into view, Amegadjie is suddenly looking like one of the more vulnerable names on the roster, which is not where a recent top pick wants to be heading into the final decisions. [Read more 🡒]
Bears May Need One More Tackle To Protect Caleb Williams
Ozzy Trapilos progress has given the Bears at least a little breathing room up front, with the young lineman recovering ahead of schedule and already getting into individual drills. Even so, Chicago is taking a measured approach with his return, which keeps the conversation alive about whether the offensive line could use another body before the protection picture settles around Caleb Williams.
One name that has surfaced is Dawand Jones, a Browns lineman who could become available if he does not stick on Clevelands roster. Jones brings experience at multiple spots along the line, which makes him an appealing depth possibility for a team looking for insurance, though his recent injury history has been a concern after multiple season-ending setbacks in recent years. [Read more 🡒]