The NFC North-leading Chicago Bears will be playing at a slight disadvantage on offense going into Saturday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers.
On Thursday, the Bears announced that starting wide receivers Luther Burden III and Rome Odunze will be ruled out for this weekend’s contest. Burden III is dealing with an ankle injury, while Odunze will miss his second-straight game due to his foot injury, which he aggravated before last week’s game vs. Cleveland.
The Bears did not have Odunze for their first matchup against Green Bay in Week 14, but they did have Burden III, who led the team with four receptions (six targets) for 67 yards.
Without Burden and Odunze on Saturday, DJ Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus will be asked to do more, and we could see more reps for rookie wide receiver Jahdae Walker and possibly Devin Duvernay. However, the Bears should also look to call up Maurice Alexander from the practice squad.
Bears WR Injuries Could Open Door for Maurice Alexander to Make Debut
The 28-year-old followed Ben Johnson from Detroit to the Windy City, signing a futures deal with the Bears in February. Alexander, who predominantly played special teams with the Lions, made some noise in the preseason, recording nine receptions (12 targets) for 71 yards and a TD.
However, it wasn’t enough to keep Alexander on the 53-man roster. But Chicago didn’t waste time re-signing him to the practice squad at the end of preseason.
If the Bears do call up Alexander, it would be interesting to see if they put most of his snaps on special teams, which could free up some offensive opportunities for Duvernay. During his NFL career, Alexander has been primarily utilized on punt and kick returns.
In 2022, as a member of the Lions, Alexander averaged 24.3 yards per kick return on six attempts. Then in 2024, Alexander averaged 10.5 yards per return on four attempts.
That said, Bears fans shouldn’t sleep on Alexander’s offensive skills. They saw a glimpse of it in the preseason this summer, so they know he can make some plays. Before he got picked up by Detroit, Alexander was a star in the USFL with the Philadelphia Stars.
In the USFL, Alexander was a playmaker on special teams, along with KaVontae Turpin, who is now with the Dallas Cowboys. However, he was no slouch on offense, posting 20 receptions (28 targets) for 234 yards and two touchdowns.
Therefore, head coach Ben Johnson and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle should try to get the ball in Alexander’s hands if the opportunity presents itself. The Bears will need one or two unexpected players to step up on Saturday night; Alexander could be one of them.