With roster holes emerging in the slot, Chicago could eye a dynamic playmaker to bolster Caleb Williams' arsenal alongside rising stars Rome Odunze and Luther Burden.
The Chicago Bears had the future in mind when it came to the 2026 NFL Draft.
They made picks that addressed current needs and those that could be helpful to the organization later on.
Dillon Thieneman is going to start right away, but the other rookies could be starters in the next few years.
Logan Jones could take over for Garrett Bradbury once the team moves on from him. The same goes for Sam Roush with Cole Kmet. Kmet's contract runs out in 2028.
Zavion Thomas is an interesting addition because he could be used as a gadget player and in the return game. It'll be interesting to see what Ben Johnson does with him.
Malik Muhammad has a chance to compete for the No. 2 cornerback job. ESPN even put Tyrique Stevenson on the hot seat for 2026.
Even after taking a player like Thomas, ESPN's Aaron Schatz still thinks the Bears could use a slot receiver. He believed free-agent receiver and 2021 Pro Bowler Deebo Samuel could be a good choice.
"The Bears use a lot of two-tight-end sets," Schatz said. "However, they still were in 11 personnel 52% of the time last season, so they need to have a third starting receiver to go with Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III. Right now, that's veteran Kalif Raymond, but Raymond is 31 and has had less than 300 yards in each of the past two seasons. The other alternative is third-round rookie Zavion Thomas. Deebo Samuel would be a really interesting free agent signing here.
The Bears' receiver room looks much different than it did one year ago.
D.J. Moore is no longer on the team after being traded to the Buffalo Bills for a second-round pick. Devin Duvernay and Olamide Zaccheaus departed the team in free agency.
Zaccheaus was the main option at slot receiver for the Bears last season, and he's now back with the Atlanta Falcons.
Kalif Raymond is in position to be the slot receiver in 2026, with Rome Odunze and Luther Burden starting on the outside. Behind Raymond, there aren't many great options.
J.P. Richardson and undrafted free agent Squirrel White are in position to back him up, but they both have little experience.
Thomas is an option the Bears could go with. However, Samuel has a similar skillset to Thomas and is more proven.
Samuel started his career with the San Francisco 49ers in 2019. His best season came in 2021, when he had 1,405 receiving yards, 365 rushing yards and 14 total touchdowns.
Kyle Shanahan cooked up plenty of gadget plays for Samuel during his time with the 49ers.
Samuel is not the same player he once was, but he proved he still has tread on the tires after San Francisco moved on from him after the 2024 season. He was traded to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round pick and led the team with 727 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
Thomas is an exciting rookie, but when you have a better version of him available in Samuel, the Bears may want to consider it.