The Chicago Bears have made some significant moves on both sides of the ball this offseason, with the trade of veteran wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills among the biggest of the bunch.
While the emergence of Luther Burden III, steady progression of Rome Odunze, and Colston Loveland's breakout rookie season at TE will help make up for the lost production, there is still a glaring need at the WR3 position.
This is why the departure of free agent wide receiver/kick returner Devin Duvernay is more concerning than it would seem, given the Arizona Cardinals were able to steal him away on a one-year, $2.5 million deal, according to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz.
Bears Have Hole to Fill Following Departure of Devin Duvernay
Fortunately, Chicago won't feel the loss of the former All-Pro kick returner as much on special teams, as veteran Kalif Raymond should have no issues sliding into that role. While that is all well and good, Raymond does not offer the same upside as a WR3 for Ben Johnson's offense, despite his strong finish to the 2025 campaign, and Ryan Poles is likely well aware of that.
While Raymond's impressive second half of the 2025 season surely made him a more attractive option on the free agent market, the less-than-spectacular play he offered over the first nine weeks cannot be overlooked.
In 205 total offensive snaps during Weeks 1-9, Raymond earned an overall Pro Football Focus grade of 57.1. For comparison sake, PFF grades for a "solid starter" fall between 70 and 79. This is why Raymond's grade of 82.0 during Weeks 10-18, on 52 fewer snaps, should not be looked at as the norm, and what can be expected of him in the Windy City.
With limited options remaining in the free agent pool at the wide receiver position, and relatively little money remaining to work with, the Bears are left with the options of addressing that need in the draft and hoping they land an impact player on the second or third day of the draft, or they roll the dice in free agency and hope that a low-cost veteran can outperform his contract.
Poles and the front office were able to strike gold with Burden III falling to them on Day 2 in 2025, and their best bet at finding an impact player in that spot for the 2026 season could be the hope that lightning strikes twice in April's draft.