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The Most Overrated Player From All Chicago Bears Offseason Work

One Chicago Bears rookie is easily the most overrated player based on offseason practices but it's more the result of ridiculously positive media reporting than anything he did or didn't do.
Gene Chamberlain|
Zavion Thomas made a few plays in offseason work but not the type to elicit the overkill about his play being seen in media.
Zavion Thomas made a few plays in offseason work but not the type to elicit the overkill about his play being seen in media. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

It was an impressive start during offseason work for the fleet Bears wide receiver taken in Round 3 and the Bears offensive coordinator raved about him, even though it was only in pads.

"I mean, he can handle this league," the OC said. "You can see that already. Then the speed just jumped at you on the tape. When that guy gets the ball in his hands, he looks like 4.3 on the field. Not many guys can do that and I think that is what stood out about this guy. He has a chance to score every time he touches the ball."

This was not current Bears OC Press Taylor during this offseason. These were the comments of Luke Getsy, fired after 2023 and two seasons of work in Chicago. The third-round receiver he was talking about who was running close to a 4.3 was not 2026 Bears rookie third-rounder Zavion Thomas, but was Velus Jones Jr. during offseason work during 2022.

This should properly illustrate the point.

At this point, you can't really tell anything. The raving hysteria about Bears third-round rookie receiver Zavion Thomas on social media is far too excessive. Thomas is, without doubt, the most overrated player in Bears offseason work but it's not even his fault.

This isn't a criticism of him but of the ridiculously over-positive reporting about a few meaningless catches in easy conditions by a promising player. Jones did as much during offseason his rookie year.

A real appraisal

As for all the positive talk coming about Thomas, it should be stated that coaches will tell any reporter a player is a world beater in his first year at this point in the offseason if asked directly about someone. Why criticize them before any real football season work has begun?

This sort of thing happens every single offseason, mostly with offensive play makers, and especially at wide receiver. And in this case Bears coaches really didn't even do it. Neither did Thomas' teammates.

Thomas is being described by many of those who attended the handful of practices the media could witness in the spring as someone who made big plays every single day. This is simply not the case. He made some catches.

The biggest play he made was a long catch of a Caleb Williams throw but that throw came in a 7-on-7 and not a full-squad non-contact scrimmage. Also, it was apparent either Tyrique Stevenson thought he had safety help on that side and let Thomas go, or blew the coverage. He didn't give full chase until after he realized no safety was back there.

Safety Coby Bryant came over from the opposite side of the field, but far too late. That was the "signature" highlight play. It's better than not making the catch downfield. Give him credit for that much. But the defensive gaffe and lack of pass rush made it nothing more than a pitch and a catch.

Thomas caught some shorter passes and turned upfield in full-squad work but they were plays when tacklers in an actual game would have easily tackled him after a first down or even before the sticks. He's allowed to run up the field untouched in those cases at practice.

None of this is a criticism. It's simply the way it works in offseason practices.

What Ben Johnson said

Give the Bears credit for being honest. They didn't buy into all the hype as much. Direct questions about Thomas attempting to elicit rave reviews did not succeed.

Ben Johnson was asked if Thomas is even faster than they thought after he had been clocked at 4.28 in the 40.

“I don't know if he's faster, but it is what he showed at LSU and Mississippi State before then," Johnson said. "He's got a long highlight reel in terms of showcasing that speed in the SEC he tends to make a play almost every single day right now that says, OK, if we can harness all this energy and, and make sure that we can trust him and that he's going to align where he needs to and run the route the way we need him to, we really could use him and he could be a big weapon for us this year."

That is only restating something everyone already knew after college. If they can harness his speed and he must learn the offense.

"I think he's developing the work ethic that we expect, not only from a receiver, but from anyone on offense, or the team," Johnson added.

That's great. It's what they need. It doesn't say he's ahead of the curve, catching coaches' eyes or embarrassing veterans with his blazing speed. It says he showed potential in college, he works hard and hopefully he'll catch on to the offense.

Although complimentary of Thomas hands, even quarterback Caleb Williams didn't supply material for any puff pieces on the third-round pick.

"I said it either this morning or yesterday morning when we were in the QB room: I was like, his hands are a lot better than —obviously you see a lot of speedy guys that sometimes maybe catch with the body a little bit more or are a little shaky with their hands just because of how fast they are and how blessed they are with that—he's made some really tough catches, even when he's messed up or anything like that.

"It's positive. He really cares."

In all honesty

Thomas is being described by some who attended the handful of practices the media could attend in the spring as someone who made big plays every single day. This is simply not the case.

Thomas only had a 4.7% dropped pass rate in college according to Pro Football Focus. No one should have been worried about his hands.

Thomas is being described by some who attended the handful of practices the media could attend in the spring as someone who made big plays every single day. This is simply not the case.

It is positive he caught some passes and that he cares. That's great. The good hands are actually what Bears scouts noted on draft day and his catch percentage from college said he was one of the receiver who caught the most targeted passes. However, he also caught a lot of extremely short passes in college and did so in practices at Halas Hall. So he should have a higher percentage.

"I'm really excited," Williams said. "I think if he can get the offense down, if he can do his part and that side of it, I think he'll be really special for years on out," Williams said.

That's the problem. Can he get the offense down? Can he be a route runner? No one knows this and the Bears have said this is a rookie's issue all along.

They've seen little evidence of this one way or the other at this point. It's not a criticism of Thomas, just fact. They'll find out more when he actually gets to work against starters or backups in training camp and when pads come on, then finally in preseason.

At this point, it's not even accurate to call Thomas the rookie star of their minicamp and OTAs.

Other rookies made impacts

Center Logan Jones was with the second team for every play and getting a good feel for the offense and what they do. Thomas was not on the field all the time as receivers rotate in and out. He wasn't on with the starters all the time or second team all of the time.

Safety Dillon Thieneman had as much or more exposure to the defense in the offseason because he got to play all the time with the first or second team. It would be a fair judgment to call either one of them as impressive or more impressive in offseason work compared to Thomas.

Thomas can be a contributor as a rookie with Johnson and offensive coaches working specifically for roles or plays designed to get him a chance to use his speed. Beyond that, it's going to depend on what he's able to grasp with the offense and while going against defenses.

It's a lot like the challenge facing another third-round receiver they drafted in recent years named Velus Jones. We all know how that one turned out.

The Bears have to hope the highlight of Thomas' first year isn't the media overhype about a receiver who is just trying to figure out an NFL offense and his role in it.

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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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