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Rookie Zavion Thomas Has Different Idea About Fastest Bears Player

Zavion Thomas looked finally could get to show off the speed he flashed in preseason during a regular-season game Sunday but doesn't want title of fastest Bear.
Gene Chamberlain|
Zavion Thomas has a different idea than Bears fans might about who the fastest receiver on the team is.
Zavion Thomas has a different idea than Bears fans might about who the fastest receiver on the team is. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Although it's been generally accepted rookie Zavion Thomas is the fastest Bears player based on a 4.28-second 40-yard dash time, he deflected this title to someone else.

Anyone who saw the 97-yard touchdown catch and 39-yard punt return Thomas made in the final preseason game would probably wonder who on earth could really be faster. The Bears have a few other players in or approaching the 4.3s, but no one close to challenging for 4.2s.

“I think Lif the fastest,” Thomas said, referring to Kalif Raymond. “I think it go (to) Lif, then me, then I think everybody else after that kind of the same speed.”

But Thomas ran 4.28.

“Yeah, I did, but man, Lif be rollin’," Thomas said. "Y’all be seeing him, Lif be rollin’. I’m trying to get like him."

So a wide receiver the Lions didn't keep in free agency, one who is now 32 years old, is faster than Thomas? Rome Odunze had claimed earlier that Raymond hit 23 mph, but he must have had the Bears receiver confused with a horse or cheetah at that rate.

It sounds a lot like Thomas is just deferring to an older teammate he respects. In fact, if the Bears' fastest player is a 32-year-old then they've got a serious personnel issue.

If Raymond was that fast, why would the Lions ever let him leave?

Thomas told Raymond there's no way he should retire anytime soon with his speed, so again it looks like he's merely paying homage to the more experienced player.

“I tell him that every day,” Thomas said. “I’d be like, ‘Lif, I ain’t gonna lie, but you got another five (years) in you.’ I'd be like ‘Come on Lif, I know you got it.’

"He'd be like ‘No, I’m trying to get like you.’ But just following a guy like that, seeing the way he practices, I just wish the best for him, honestly."

The speed board again

This entire topic was already approached with a few players regarding their speed board with mph measurements per gps. Most recently it was by Rome Odunze.

"Consistently number one? Man. If I had to guess, I would say I'll probably say Kaden Davis," Odunze said, referring to the practice squad receiver. "Since he came in, he's been up there, and then I'll probably say Dillon (Thieneman). Those are the two. And Jahdae (Walker). Those are like the top three that I'm seeing all the way up there.

"(Josh) Blackwell is always up there. I mean, he's you know just fast on how many different days. So yeah."

Thomas had some injury issues that held him back during part of training camp. Perhaps if they ran the clock on players again, it might turn out differently.

Either way, what's important for a rookie receiver like Thomas is asking a lot of questions of veterans and then filling whatever role it is the Bears give him for the opener, both in the return game and as a wideout.

He's definitely asking the questions of all veteran receivers to learn, even if some are only a year into their careers.

“They always make sure I’m straight, I can call Lif late at night, text him, send him a play," Thomas said. "He's gonna let me know how to do it and where to go at (in the offense). So just having those guys in here, them being in the offense and stuff like that, I’m happy I’m in this position.”

Whatever it is they're telling Thomas, they've got him focused in the right place. His statistical goal for Sunday?

“I’m just hoping for a win," he said. "I just want to leave 1-0. That’s all I want to do."

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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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