Sean Hammond at the Chicago Tribune addresses Bears third round pick Zavion Thomas’s place on the team.
‘With Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Kalif Raymond and Jahdae Walker looking like the top options at receiver, it might be an uphill battle for Thomas to see touches as a rookie. But [head coach Ben] Johnson is intrigued by Thomas’ abilities as a returner and a unique piece within the offense.’
‘During the 2025 season, he contributed 41 catches for 488 yards and four touchdowns on offense and rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. He was the second-leading receiver on an LSU team that went 7-6.’
‘“When you turn on the tape, it’s more than just being able to run deep routes,” Johnson said after the Bears drafted Thomas. “The versatility that he showed both at Mississippi State and at LSU from the backfield, whether it’s running routes or getting handoffs, and then the returning aspect of it, I think it all adds up.”
‘Johnson noted that Thomas complements the skill sets of Odunze, Burden and Raymond. The Bears sometimes used DJ Moore in atypical roles, occasionally lining him up in the backfield. Thomas, with his speed, can be a weapon in those exotic looks.’
Thomas is an interesting new piece to Johnson’s offense. And I see no reason why he can’t crack the lineup as one of the top 5 receivers. Raymond and Walker are hardly special and with Thomas’s speed, as indicated by his 4.28 forty yard dash at the combine, he could easily find a place.
My first instinct is to say that, beyond his apparent abilities as a returner, Thomas was drafted to be a DJ Moore replacement as a gadget player within the offense. In other words, he could be the guy who comes in and leaves the defense guessing as to whether they should bring in personnel to stop the run, if he lines up in the backfield, or the pass if he lines up at wide receiver.
Hammond characterizes Thomas’s biggest challenge as learning the playbook. I’m sure that’s always something that rookies need to be concerned about but the biggest issue specific to Thomas might be that he will lack Moore’s knack for getting open. That may not be as bad as it sounds because the Bears failed to take full advantage of Moore’s abilities, primarily because throwing from the pocket hasn’t been a strength of quarterback Caleb Williams. At least not yet.
Thomas might be the player I’m most intrigued about as the Bears approach traniing camp. I’m very much looking forward to seeing where he is, what roles he plays within the offense and how often. And, even more, I’m looking forward to seeing how well he progresses from there and how far he can take his abilities in a professional environment.