Bear Digest

How Free Agency Best Benefits the Chicago Bears at Wide Receiver

The Bears likely wouldn't look for big ticket receivers in free agency to replace DJ Moore but they could consider bargain players to replace Olamide Zaccheaus.
Gene Chamberlain|
Detroit receiver Kalif Raymond could be an Olamide Zaccheaus equivalent if the Bears looked at receivers in free agency.
Detroit receiver Kalif Raymond could be an Olamide Zaccheaus equivalent if the Bears looked at receivers in free agency. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Indirectly during the combine, Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson addressed possible life without wide receiver DJ Moore.

His answer served as a guideline to what they could be interested in doing now that it's reality. Just because they have Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Jahdae Walker and tight end Colston Loveland doesn't mean they can't improve the group they have chasing down Caleb Williams' throws.

"You can never have too much talent," Johnson said.

The problem with losing Moore is that while he didn't pile up big catch or yardage numbers for the first time in his career, his mere presence helped make it easier for other receivers. This is a difficult skill set to replace because it means Moore was perceived as a real threat by defenses, but Johnson thinks his own knowledge of the receivers he has makes it more possible to find ways to cope with the loss.

"Like I said we have such a better feel as a staff now than we did when we started a year ago," Johnson said. "Each guy brings something different to the table. And that’s really what we’re looking to generate from all our skill positions: How can we best complement each other? Who’s got the speed? We need versatility. Guys that can line up all over the place. Certainly guys that have great hands.

"I think when you look at a 17-game season or 17 games-plus when you make the postseason, you need all hands on deck, because the truth of the matter is that not everybody is going to stay available throughout that."

To replace Moore, they'd be likely to go through the draft because of cost and their own history of developing targets. Their roster shows a receiver group missing world-class speed, but they even could benefit from just adding a receiver with versatility, like Moore has.

In fact, they really can use more than one receiver because Moore isn't the only receiver they could be replacing.

As much as Olamide Zaccheaus infuriated fans with five pass drops—and several other incompletions that should have been labeled drops—he played a vital role and is a free agent. Now he is going to Atlanta, according to reports. Of his 39 catches, he had 15 third-down receptions, three more than Moore (12). Only Loveland and  Odunze had more than Zaccheaus with 16 each. Between the two free agents, that's 27 third-down receptions the Bears had that wouldn't be on the roster again.

A year earlier, Moore made 21 of them to lead the team, and in 2023, with Justin Fields at QB, Moore made 33 to finish second in the league. So it's easy to see what kind of player they lost.

Another weapon of any kind could be an asset, but it's possible or Walker to  ascend into that role of third wide receiver. 

Johnson and staff already showed in 2025 how they can take young receivers at both tight end and wideout and turn them quickly into top producers. So, it seems logical they'd try to fill one of their vacant receiver spots with a draft pick. But the rookies can’t be counted on for immediate production.

Wide receivers in free agency are like many positions in that teams overpay for them. Drafting them is better theoretically and economically. 

However, replacing Zaccheaus, could be someting they do in free agency Maybe after the develop a year or two down the road, but not right away. Zaccheaus only cost them $1.2 million and made 39 catches, including those 15 on third downs.

There were only two receivers chosen after Round 2 of last year's draft who made as many or more catches than Zaccheaus made last year in Chicago.

That was just one draft, so it was an aberration? The previous year, there were only two. It happens but it's not common for receivers taken after Day 2, or even in the third round, to become instant producers. They're not used to facing the elite NFL defensive backs they see on a weekly basis.

Maybe they better consider bringing Zaccheaus back, or perhaps they look into the low-cost free agent market for receivers who could do what Zaccheaus did when he wasn't dropping passes.  

Here' who they'd find at the bargain basement veteran's minimum price they had for the 5-8, 199-pound Zaccheaus, who had more than 50 targets for the fourth time in five seasons and has had at least 31 receptions four times in five seasons.

Dyami Brown: A year after his best season with 30 catches and 308 yards, he left Washington for Jacksonville and made only 20 catches. He didn't get close to Zaccheaus' 580 plays last year.

Curtis Samuel: Another former Commanders receiver who didn't work out elsewhere. He had 54 catches in four of his previous five seasons, went to Buffalo and made 31 and seven receptions due largely to injuries. Could the Bears be a comeback trail for the friend and former teammate of DJ Moore's in Carolina? Spotrac.com says the 9-year veteran should get only $1.79 millon. Not really a special teams help at age 29.

Kalif Raymond: He'd be a high-end type for this role at $3.4 million per Spotrac.com. A former Lion familiar with Ben Johnson' offense and the extra slot role, he also brings along the added bonus of being an outstanding return man. Raymond dropped only five passes in five Lion seasons and had 171 catches in five Detroit seasons.

Greg Dortch: An inch shorter than Raymond but the same weight at 180, he had 33 or more targets the last four seasons at Arizona and 145 receptions in five seasons. He also made 21 rushes for a 6.9-yard average, averaged 8.9 yards on punt returns, 23.6 on kick returns and played on coverage teams. The injury that ended his season was a chest issue. Projected at $1.6 million a year.

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine: Like with many Dolphins last year, his production dropped off. He had been targeted at least 45 times four straight years in Tennessee and mad 25 catches or more in those seasons while scoring 19 TDs. But last year he had only 11 catches on 20 targets for 89 yards while missing only two games. More of an X-type receiver than a slot and projected at $3.1 million.

Jahan Dotson: Projected for $2.67 million, he's coming off his least productive season with 18 catches. He had 84 receptions for 1,041 yards in his first two seasons with the Commanders before his role declined in Philly for two years, with just 37 receptions. Although he has 4.43 speed, he hasn't been much of a special teams help.

John Metchie: Some familiar problems here with nine dropped passes for the past three seasons. He made 73 receptions for 686 yards for his three seasons after missing his rookie 2022 season recovering from leukemia and an ACL tear. Projected at $1.8 million.

Scotty Miller: The Naperville native has barely stayed in the league after leaving Tampa Bay after four years. He had 74 catches for 924 yards and four TDs in Tampa Bay but with the Falcons and Steelers the last three years made just 25 catches. Projected at $1.6 million.

JuJu Smith-Schuster: With 481 receptions in nine seasons, and a projected value of $2.1 million, the Chiefs free agent will no doubt wind up somewhere with a need for a third or fourth receiver. He once made 111 receptions but has had 80 over the last three.

Hunter Renfrow: He probably lacks the speed Johnson likes to see with slot receivers. Projected at only $1.04 million. After reaching 103 receptions in Year 3 with the Raiders, and 208 for his first three years, he fell off the face of the earth following a concussion and an abdominal muscle strain. Then he missed 2024 with ulcerative colitis.

Tyquan Thornton: A certified 4.28 guy in the 40, the Bears could do much worse than to sign this type of speed and then let Antwaan Randle El work his magic because Thornton does need help. For all his speed, the 6-2, 185-pound second-rounder hasn't been able to even reach his rookie reception total of 22.  

Noah Brown: Just kidding. They wouldn't sign the guy who caught the Hail Mary pass, would they?

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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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