For a brief moment at the start of NFL free agency, Chicago Bears wide receiver Jahdae Walker was the clubhouse leader for the WR3 spot next season.
With DJ Moore being traded to the Buffalo Bills and Olamide Zaccheaus leaving the Windy City for another stint with the Atlanta Falcons, it opened the door for Walker to be the Bears’ WR3 for the upcoming season. Meanwhile, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III would assume the WR1 and WR2 roles.
However, Bears head coach Ben Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles had other plans for the WR3 spot, as Walker’s short-lived hopes were dashed.
Chicago immediately signed veteran former Detroit Lion Kalif Raymond to a one-year deal, not only to be the replacement for Devin Duvernay on special teams, but also to compete for the WR3 role. Johnson had the privilege of coaching Raymond in the Motor City for a few seasons, and apparently really wanted him in Chicago.
“Absolutely, I stood on the table for Kalif. So did [Antwaan] Randle El. So did J.T. Barrett,” the Bears head coach told reporters on Monday at the owners’ meetings when asked about the signing (h/t CHGO Bears).
Kalif Raymond Clearly Throwing a Wrench into Jahdae Walker's WR3 Hopes
This is not the first time we’ve heard Johnson speaking about Raymond’s addition to the Bears' offense. In a story done on the new Bears WR by Dan Pompei of The Athletic, Johnson said he doesn’t envision being a 1,000-yard WR, but believes he can have a role and will get a chance to compete for the WR3 job.
“Is he going to be a 1,000-yard receiver?” Johnson said via Pompei. “No. But I think he’s capable of a bigger role in our offense than what he had a year ago.”
Last year with the Lions, Raymond recorded 24 receptions (30 targets) for 289 yards and a touchdown, while also playing 132 slot snaps, which ranked third in Detroit’s offense. When looking at the Bears’ offense from last season, Zaccheaus ranked third on the team with 195 slot snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, trailing only Moore (219) and Odunze (200).
That’s a lot of snaps for Walker to try to fill, given that he played more snaps from the X spot (44) than he did from the slot (25).
The truth is that Walker is still somewhat of an unknown commodity. The former Texas A&M WR was only targeted 10 times in nine games as an undrafted rookie, making six catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns.
Therefore, when you factor in those stats plus Johnson’s enthusiasm about the team wanting Raymond, it doesn’t bode well for Walker’s prospects to win the job. However, just because the veteran is familiar with Johnson and the coaching staff, Walker has already proven that he can earn his way and will answer the call when his name is called.
The WR3 job likely isn’t at the top of mind for some Bears fans, considering the concerns at left tackle and on the defensive line. However, it appears that there’s a battle brewing between the young kid in Walker and the wily veteran in Raymond.