The NFL season is squarely in sight after Thursday night’s Hall of Fame game in Canton, OH at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Chicago Bears and Houston Texans did not get through four quarters due to inclement weather but were able to usher in the first competitive action of the 2024-25 year. These teams were selected because many of their former players were among those enshrined in the Hall of Fame over the weekend, but there was plenty to take away from what their current players did on the field.
It is only the pre-season so there can’t be any large takeaways from the action. When it comes to the front-line players, they were not suited up on Thursday night. There were still a lot of signs to glean from players fighting for positioning on the depth chart or for a spot on the roster. The Chicago Bears’ receiving core has a lot of pressure to deliver in the regular season when Caleb Williams is looking for them downfield. There is more time before any permanent decisions have to be made but the Hall of Fame game gave fans, coaches, and the front office a look at the 2024-25 pass-catching targets.
Chicago Bears WR Depth
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The Chicago Bears did a lot of remodeling with their receiver room during the 2024 offseason. They traded a fourth-round draft pick for Keenan Allen, drafted Rome Odunze in the first round, and extended DJ Moore with a four-year, $110M deal. The top three targets for rookie QB Caleb Williams are set. The expectations for Williams and the offense are only increasing as the season nears and fans’ excitement is struggling to stay hidden. The reality of a 17-game schedule is that a whole core of receivers is needed to help maximize a team’s chances of succeeding in the passing game, on offense, and in the win column.
For the Chicago Bears, the back end of the receiver group is up in the air at this point in the pre-season. In training camp and in practices thus far, Tyler Scott has been the most impressive among the rest of the receivers. Caleb Williams has connected with the second-year burner out of Cincinnati on deep balls and crossing routes near the line of scrimmage, helping add real estate for the offense when they’re on the field and making the defense respect more territory, opening up more space for other receiving threats.
Scott is pretty ensconced as the fourth receiver on the depth chart, making it a conversation surrounding the final one or two spots on the chart for the final three preseason games and into the final days before the regular season. Velus Jones Jr. is the incumbent for the fifth slot in the receiver room. Jones Jr. will be viable as a returner in the first year of the NFL’s new kickoff format. At the wide receiver position, Jones Jr. has struggled in his tenure with the Chicago Bears, making it less clear if he is in line for the first year of the Caleb Williams era.
Battle for the Final Spot
Velus Jones Jr. had similar opportunities in a similar role to Tyler Scott with the Chicago Bears before Scott joined the team. Playing with Justin Fields, Jones Jr. was the recipient of end-arounds, drags off play-action, and go routes. Since then, Jones Jr. has been relegated to special teams for the most part, a critical spot to succeed in if you are taking up one of the fringe roster positions in the NFL, but not where he would hope to be as a 27-year-old. Jones Jr. was noticeably absent from action in Thursday’s HOF game, sparking some conversation after the game.
Chicago Bears reporter Courtney Cronin has said that Velus Jones Jr. not playing is an indication that he has a spot on the final roster. If that is the case, there might not be any leeway for other receivers currently with the team. With Jones Jr. not split out wide, there were more opportunities for Collin Johnson. The former Texas Longhorn has been rattling around the periphery of the NFL scene throughout his first few years as a professional. Entering his second year with the Chicago Bears, Johnson has flashed more potential as a traditional receiver than Jones Jr., especially Thursday when he caught two touchdowns against the Houston defense.
Keenan Allen has been a frequent injury concern throughout his career and will most likely see time off the field again this season. Having reliable backups to help out their rookie quarterback is going to be crucial for the success of the Chicago Bears. The talented tight end and running back rooms are going to support them in a big way but the bones of this offense in the first year under new Offensive Coordinator Shane Waldron are going to be the reliability of the quarterback and wide receivers.
With injury questions plaguing one of the top targets for the 2024-25 Bears, depth is going to be on display in Chicago. Tyler Scott has the first go at it as a niche player on the outside and Velus Jones Jr. has the inside track for the next slot, but if the Bears are looking for a traditional option to be ready in the wings if any of their premier targets go down, Collin Johnson is a prime candidate, especially if he keeps putting up performances like he did Thursday night.
Velus Jones Jr. has more value this season with the NFL’s new kickoff procedures, making him a likely finalist for a roster spot. With the new format, the Chicago Bears may use players in a more versatile role and could end up carrying six receivers into their season opener against Tennessee or beyond if players like Collin Johnson earn their way onto the roster and eventually the field, if called upon.
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