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Figuring Out Zavion Thomas' Bears Role Amid so Many Weapons

The Chicago Bears' offense has a pleasant problem deciding how to get a player as talented as Zavion Thomas touches with so many talented receivers available.
Gene Chamberlain|
Zavion Thomas' big preseason finale will no doubt have Ben Johnson trying to figure ways to include him in the game plan.
Zavion Thomas' big preseason finale will no doubt have Ben Johnson trying to figure ways to include him in the game plan. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears

How Ben Johnson plans to use receivers this season is something everyone would love to know from Bears fans to opposing defensive coaches and definitely to fantasy football owners trying to figure out whether Zavion Thomas is a player worth drafting or claiming.

One thing is certain after the preseason finale and that is Johnson will use Thomas, one way or the other. It might be as a slot receiver, a wide receiver or even a running back in addition to duties on special teams. The threat of so much speed itself can spread out secondaries and make it easier for other receivers to get open, if not for Thomas to do it.

Thomas, however, is unlikely to change the overall dynamic of the Bears' receiver usage. It is Luther Burden and not Thomas, Rome Odunze or even Kalif Raymond, who figures to take up the majority of the plays that went to DJ Moore last season. Moore led all receivers with 979 reps and last year Burden had only 402 plays, or 40% of plays when he was available. He started 5-of-15 games.

Remember what Johnson said.

"I’m buying Luther Burton stock right now,” the Bears coach said. “Just how he’s approached his offseason, it’s been electric. It showed up yesterday. He had numerous explosive plays.”

How the Bears Will Distribute Reps

Just because Burden will get more reps doesn't mean other receivers will lose them. Moore was used so often, other receivers might actually gain some over last year. Rome Odunze is one. Although he played 88% of the plays when he was available, he missed five games and still had 733 reps.

Last year Burden actually had fewer reps than Olamide Zaccheaus, whose plays figure to be absorbed by Kalif Raymond and Thomas, as well. Zaccheaus had 480 reps. That's 1,459 reps between two receivers that must be distributed. It might not look anything like last year's work distribution because of the new participants and the way Johnson wants to run his offense.

It's not easy to look at how Johnson's receivers in Detroit had their reps distributed, and assume he'd like it that way with the Bears. The strength of the group is different and they're stronger in different ways. In Detroit, he had Amon-Ra St. Brown on for 2,852 reps in three seasons, and when Jameson Williams gained full health for a full season during Johnson's last year as coordinator he had 826 reps.

There's not really an ideal comparison between Odunze and Jameson because they're different types. The Bears' equivalent might be Thomas, who ran a 40 time similar to Jameson, but they don't really play the same position.

It's not like Raymond figures to play a few downs and let Thomas take over that spot most of the time.

"He's not a gadget guy," Johnson said of Raymond. "But he's unique in his ability to have enough speed to take it over the top, make defenses hurt that way, but also inside the numbers, outside the numbers, he's got elite quickness.

:You get the ball in his hands, he's excellent in run after catch. So he's very, very versatile and I think he's going to be a huge part of what we do.”

If the Bears can get that type of play from Thomas when he is in the game, it's what they would want. If they can get the deep routes from him as a downfield threat or to draw away defenders from other areas, then they'd probably take that.

"You see the flashes," offensive coordinator Press Taylor said. :We get the reports at the end of the day of miles per hour, and he's always beyond 20. So that's something you see. You saw it in the (Tennessee) game the other day with a few opportunities and what he's able to do with it.

"I don't know how many people have taken one 97 (yards) on their first touch in the NFL, but that's something he is gifted with. But there's so much more that goes into earning a role for yourself week to week, and so that's something he's going to continue to prove and earn as we go into the season."

Capitalize on inconsistent reps is his aim

The best way to put it might be Thomas' playing time will be an inconsistent number based on the group's health, his productivity when he gets it, and the game plan for a particular opponent. He'll get touches. There is even a limit on his special teams touches because Raymond can return punts, as well.

The potential balance and the high level of weaponry will at least make it so there is no pressure on Thomas to produce immediately, and he can learn how he best fits into the attack as well as how to attack NFL defenses.

"All these guys are so versatile," Taylor said. "They can do so many different things. I think that allows us as an offense to kind of play on our terms and avoid tendencies, if you will. And that's something we're very conscious of. We want to be great at self-scouting and understand what we're presenting to a defense, what they're seeing given the situation and how we can complement that.”

They can't all play each other's position perfectly but they can do it well enough to throw off opponents. This is another reason why Thomas could be included in the game plan faster as a rookie.

If it's tough for opposing defenses to figure out, it's also tough for fantasy football owners who see Thomas as a potential big touchdown threat but can't gauge how much playing time he'll get and his value.

The best way to approach it from that angle is drafting him late and stashing him in case the Bears have receiver injuries and he starts getting more opportunities.

Beyond that, it's as tough to figure out as Johnson's offense and use of receivers is for opposing defenses.

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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.

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