The Bears kept loading up on offense this offseason, and that’s left Maurice Alexander in a familiar spot: fighting for scraps.
Chicago already had a crowded pass-catching group, then added TE Sam Roush and WR Zavion Thomas instead of using the offseason to patch its obvious defensive holes. With D.J. Moore no longer in the picture, the Bears still appear loaded at receiver and tight end, with Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III looking like stars in the making and Colston Loveland potentially making Cole Kmet expendable.
That kind of depth makes life difficult for Alexander, a veteran wideout who is once again staring at a steep climb to the 53-man roster. Anthony Miler of Bear Goggles On put it plainly: "Now back for another season, things are only going to get tougher for Alexander to make the roster, with five receivers already looking like locks to make the team," wrote Miller.
It’s a spot Alexander knows well. He went undrafted out of FIU in 2020, later started his pro career in the USFL with the Philadelphia Star, and eventually caught on with the Detroit Lions.
He spent three years there, but his role never really grew beyond the margins. In Detroit, he played sparingly, finished with one catch for seven yards, and spent most of his time on the practice squad.
Last season brought a reunion with Ben Johnson, his former offensive coordinator, after Alexander followed him to Chicago. The result looked a lot like his time with the Lions: he was on the outside looking in, flashed in the preseason with nine receptions for 71 yards and one touchdown, then still missed the final roster. He spent the year on the practice squad and was never active for a game.
Johnson clearly values him enough to keep bringing him along, but the numbers are brutal. Odunze, Burden, Thomas, Jahdae Walker, and Kalif Raymond all look like locks, which leaves Alexander battling JP Richardson, Scotty Miller, Omari Kelly, Kaden Davis and Kyron Hudson for what may be the sixth and final receiver spot.
Even if Alexander wins that fight, there’s no guarantee it turns into meaningful snaps. He’d still have to carve out a role and earn Caleb Williams’ attention in an offense that already has plenty of mouths to feed.
For now, it comes down to training camp. Alexander will have to prove that Johnson’s trust and his grasp of the system can outweigh the competition around him, including players with more NFL experience.
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