Field Yates didn’t hesitate when asked about Zavion Thomas, and his answer pointed less to what the rookie has done, and more to what Ben Johnson believes he can become. The NFL insider was not shy to talk about the Bears lingering need at wide receiver, but qualified his statements.
Yates was recently featured on an episode of the CHGO podcast to discuss the Bears performance in the draft. The question asked about Thomas in particular and his ceiling when considering his offensive threats. It is widely believed that Thomas was drafted specifically for his kick return abilities, a spot the Bears have needed to fill since the departure of Devin Duvernay.
The Bears are drafting LSU wide reciver Zavion Thomas with the 89th pick.
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) April 25, 2026
That's it for Chicago's Day 2 picks. All offense - center, tight end, wide receiver. Ben Johnson's influence on these roster decisions are very apparent once again.
The Bears will have to wait until…
Ben Johnson’s vision is driving the evaluation
Yates made it clear that this isn’t about what Zavion Thomas produced at LSU as much as it is about how he fits into what Ben Johnson wants to build. He pointed to the idea that you simply can’t have enough playmakers in this offense, especially after a season where depth was stretched thin. The mention of gadget usage, return ability, and open-field explosiveness all point toward a role that goes beyond a traditional receiver label. Instead of asking where Thomas fits on the depth chart, the more relevant question becomes how Johnson plans to manufacture touches for him within the structure of the offense.
“I’m just not sure you can have enough offensive playmakers for Ben Johnson… and when you’ve got a head coach and a GM that are in lock step like they are, and the head coach calling the plays has a vision for the player, it gives you confidence.” - Field Yates
Whether or not Thomas will collect snaps on offense is a matter that remains to be seen. But when you have the front office and coaching staff on the same page enough that national analysts are referring to it as common knowledge, you have a system that's firing on all cylinders. It's a breath of fresh air for Chicago sports fans who are old enough to recall several eras of Bears football where that would be considered a luxury.
Thomas doesn’t need a traditional path up the depth chart if the coaching staff already knows how they want to use him. If what Yates described is real, his role will show up early and on purpose.
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