Ray-Ray McCloud wasted no time making himself part of the Bears’ preseason conversation.
Chicago brought in the veteran receiver after the Luther Burden injury, looking for depth, a camp body, and someone who could help quarterbacks get work without forcing the team’s key players into too many preseason snaps. McCloud had only been with the Bears for a handful of days before taking the field Saturday against the Cleveland Browns, but he still found a way to make an impression.
He finished with two catches on three targets for 41 receiving yards, highlighted by a 28-yard grab.
For a player whose career has mostly been built on depth work and special teams, that kind of showing is at least enough to get noticed. McCloud’s 2024 season with the Atlanta Falcons produced 686 receiving yards, a stretch that briefly turned him into a surprise offensive piece. Then came the strange finish to his time in Atlanta in 2025, when he appeared to fall out of favor with the coaching staff.
Even with that track record, Chicago’s receiver room makes the path forward tough. If Burden remains sidelined into the regular season, the Bears still have other options in the mix, and Scotty Miller, Jahdae Walker, and Zavion Thomas all have the edge in both time spent with the team and the investment Chicago has already made in them. That leaves McCloud facing a steep climb to crack the roster.
Still, the debut matters. It was a productive first look from a player who signed just days earlier and immediately showed he could make plays. At the very least, it gives McCloud a pulse in this competition.
The bigger question now is whether he can build on it. If he keeps stacking days like this, Chicago may have a real decision on its hands.
McCloud’s appeal has always been tied to speed, whether on returns or as a depth option on offense. But the Bears can find that sort of profile in other places too, including Kalif Raymond or Thomas, both of whom look like cleaner offensive fits for Chicago.
That’s what makes Saturday notable. McCloud is not just trying to fit into a preseason rotation.
He’s trying to extend his career after spending a long time in free agency and coming up short with both Atlanta and New York a season ago. For him, every chance matters right now.
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Van den Bergs college production hinted there might be more here than a typical late-round flier, especially for a player whose disruption inside stood out compared with some higher-regarded defensive tackle prospects. The Bears are still sorting out how much he can add alongside the teams defensive ends, but any young lineman who can create pressure this quickly will keep earning a longer look. [Read more 🡒]