Bear Digest

Bears explore Ben Johnson connection by signing Lions receiver

The Bears can always use return and receiver help, especially from someone familiar with Ben Johnson's offense and they added a former Detroit practice squad player Friday.
Gene Chamberlain|
Maurice Alexander tries to get loose on a return against the Giants in preseason.
Maurice Alexander tries to get loose on a return against the Giants in preseason. | David Reginek-Imagn Images

In this story:

Chicago Bears

Lions and Saints coaches with Ben Johnson ties have been brought in over the course of the last week by the Bears and now it's a player.

Although free agency doesn't start until March 10 with the legalized tampering period, former Lions wide receiver Maurice Alexander was signed by the Bears Friday to a futures contract.

A slot receiver type at 5-foot-11, 174 pounds, the 28-year-old from Florida International has been a practice squad player for the Lions who got into seven games total for Detroit over the 2022 and 2024 seasons. He played in the USFL in 2022 before the NFL season and made 20 catches for 234 yards.

He caught only one pass for 7 yards but displayed some special teams ability by averaging 24.3 yards on six kick returns in 2022, with a long of 47 yards. HE also returned four punts this past season for a very healthy 10.5-yard average.

The Bears used DeAndre Carter in the return game until a hamstring injury against the 49ers in December. Carter averaged 31.9 yards for 15 kick returns and 9.3 for his 17 punts returned. His kick return average was third-highest in the league for anyone with at least 12 returns.

Carter was working on a one-year contract in 2024.

More Chicago Bears News

X: BearsOnSI

Published
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.