Chicago Bears 2026 training camp preview: Which wide receivers need to step up?
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This week on First in North, host Devan Kaney is joined by Dan Miller, Lily Zhao and Ammad Hicks to break down ESPN's new Top-10 quarterback rankings. The crew debates whether Caleb Williams rightfully earned the number 10 spot ahead of Jordan Love after his late-game heroics, and dives into Jordan Love’s shocking slide down the NFL's Top 100 player list. Plus, a wild update from Las Vegas reveals that heavy money is flooding the Westgate Superbook, placing the Chicago Bears as top ticket-holders to win the division, the NFC, the Super Bowl, and even predicting Caleb Williams to pull off a historic MVP run! Finally, the team reacts to a massive slide for Lamar Jackson.
Chicago Bears training camp officially opens at the end of July, with rookies reporting first and veterans reporting soon after.
FOX Chicago takes a look at the Bears’ wide receiver room, which will navigate a new look without D.J. Moore and with the emergence of Luther Burden III.
Here’s a look at the Bears’ wide receiver room ahead of training camp.
Bears Wide Receiver Depth Chart
X – Rome Odunze, Jahdae Walker
Y – Kalif Raymond, Zavion Thomas
Z – Luther Burden III, Scotty Miller
TBD – Maurice Alexander, JP Richardson, Omari Kelly, Kaden Davis.
What we know:
The Bears receiver room will be very different than it did in 2025.
Gone is the face of the receiver room in D.J. Moore. Olamide Zaccheaus is also no longer here to provide veteran support, either. Devin Duvernay has signed elsewhere, too. Now, the onus is on the players who take a step forward.
Rome Odunze moves up to the primary X-receiver spot, which is the No. 1 wide receiver role in most NFL offenses. Odunze will step into the role the Bears envisioned for him when they drafted him No. 9 overall in 2024.
We project Kalif Raymond to play opposite Odunze at the Y-receiver, for now. This is just because Luther Burden III played in the slot last year for the Bears. That could change if the Bears decide to put Burden at the Y-receiver position.
Behind those three, Jahdae Walker is poised for more snaps, rookie Zavion Thomas could figure into the game plan or special teams and Scotty Miller is vying for a roster spot.
What we don't know:
Last year, the Bears went into the 2025 season with six receivers. Three of those receivers – Moore, Zaccheaus and Duvernay – are no longer in Chicago. That creates three open roster spots if the Bears decide to keep six receivers again.
That’s what we don’t know: will the Bears keep six receivers?
A big reason they opted for six receivers was because Walker emerged in training camp and preseason, earning a roster spot over Tyler Scott and others. Duvernay also earned a roster spot because he brought massive special teams value.
Raymond was signed to fit into the offense, while also bringing special teams value. That might mean the Bears opt for five receivers instead of six. That’s something that’ll be determined in training camp.
Big picture view:
Moore is gone after catching two of the biggest touchdowns in recent Bears memory in two wins over the Green Bay Packers.
Along with his receiving skills, he was well-respected by the younger players and was a steady blocker.
Now, Odunze and Burden need to fill those shoes.
Much has been made about Odunze’s recovery from his broken foot. He sounded some alarm bells when he said he’s adjusting to his "new normal," but he didn’t look slowed at all in OTAs and minicamp.
Burden could be the X-factor for the receiver room, as he already drew high praise from coach Ben Johnson as OTAs were underway.
"I'm buying Luther Burden stock right now, just how he's approached his offseason," Johnson said on May 28. "He's still developing and growing his route tree. (Assistant Head Coach / Wide Receivers) Coach (Antwaan Randle) El and (Offensive Quality Control) Isaiah Ford, they've done a phenomenal job with him working to develop those things. Speed cuts to sharp breaks, releases, things of that nature. He's been extremely coachable. I'm really happy with him."
The rest of the receiver room needs to follow the lead Burden and Odunze set.
Quarterback Caleb Williams does need the room to overachieve, either. The Bears just need that room to take shape and execute the players in front of them.
"I need them to be them, and I need them to go out there and be special because that's what they are," Williams said on June 11. "I need them to make catches, maybe when I mess up or don't throw a perfect ball. Then other than that, just catch the rock when they get the ball in their hands. I know they're special, so, let's light the scoreboard up."