Chicago Bears 2026 Roster Turnover: How much will wide receiver change?

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - DECEMBER 20: Jahdae Walker #20 of the Chicago Bears celebrates with Olamide Zaccheaus #14 after his touchdown reception against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Soldier Field on December 20, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In the 2025 season, the Chicago Bears had five players with 60 or more targets, which was the first time they did that since 2020. Head coach Ben Johnson said that his pass plays have a primary receiver built into each call, and that first read varies from play to play. Heading into the second year of the offense, we'll still see Johnson ask quarterback Caleb Williams to spread the ball around, but I would not be surprised to see a couple of receivers separate themselves from the rest as they get more comfortable in the offense.

One of those players I expect to get a higher target share is tight end Colston Loveland, who may have the best hands on the roster and is a mismatch on most routes he runs.

And the other is the first wide receiver I'll mention below.

Here's how Chicago's receiver room currently shapes up.

Luther Burden III - Signed through 2028 - Do you feel there's potential for something special to happen when Burden gets the ball? His play speed is different. His ability to stop and start and make defenders miss is something the Bears haven't had in a long time. An offseason injury slowed his acclimation to the offense, and he averaged only 15.9 snaps over his first seven games. But he earned the trust of his play caller and more than doubled that in the final eight games of the regular season (36.4). In the playoffs, he averaged 46 snaps per game in their two games.

He had one big game in the first half of the season, that 3-catch, 101-yard performance against the Cowboys, but overall, through his first seven games, he amassed just 171 receiving yards.

But in his final eight regular-season games, he had 481 yards receiving, and I expect him to build off that and be the Bears' most productive wideout in 2026.

Rome Odunze - Signed through 2027* -Odunze's foot clearly bothered him last year, as his numbers were down from his rookie season. But it didn't start out that way. Early on, he seemed like Caleb's favorite target, with five touchdowns in his first four games on 20 receptions for 296 yards.

Rome first popped up on the injury list following the Week 8 game in Baltimore (heel), and he played through whatever ailments he felt (ankle/foot) in the next five games, but in those games, he had just 13 catches for 188 yards and 1 TD. The Bears shut him down for their final five games of the regular season due to the stress fracture.

He returned for the playoffs but admitted it was tough" to manage the pain in their Wild Card win over Green Bay, saying, There was soreness, but at this part of the season, it's all hands on deck and play through it. I'll ride it til the wheels fall off."

Odunze said he doesn't need surgery, and rest is all he needs for the fracture to heal.

*Bears have the fifth-year option available in 2028

Jahdae Walker - Signed through 2027 - Walker, a 2025 UDFA out of Texas A&M, had a nice camp, looked good in the preseason, so the Bears kept him on the 53-man roster all season long. He was inactive for eight games and played only 61 special teams snaps and 86 offensive snaps, but he'll always have this one.

CALEB WILLIAMS TD TO JAHDAE WALKER

GBvsCHI on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVntpic.twitter.com/BWav3hisrZ

- NFL (@NFL) December 21, 2025

To the people that haven't been in the building, it's like, Oh my gosh, you're going to the undrafted rookie on fourth down?' We see what he does every week," Ben Johnson said via NBC Sports after that big December comeback against the Packers. We see how he goes about his business. There's a reason we didn't expose him to the waiver wire and someone poach him after the preseason. We see a bright future for this guy, and he's done nothing but steadily improve over the course of the season. The coaches trust him. Caleb trusts him."

Olamide Zaccheaus - Free agent - Zaccheaus is a solid pro, and he quickly gained Johnson's trust during the offseason.

Devin Duvernay - Free agent -Duvernay is a sure-handed returner, and another one-year deal could make sense.

JP Richardson - Signed through 2026 - Richardson, another 2025 UDFA, spent last season on the practice squad.

Maurice Alexander - Signed through 2026 -I thought we'd see some Alexander last season after he came over from the Lions, but he spent the whole year on the practice squad.

DJ Moore - Signed through 2029 -I saved Moore for last, because no Bears player has more rumors circling around him than he does. Moore's contract extension made sense at the time, as he was the most dynamic ofensive player for Matt Eberflus' team, but When Flus was flushed and Ben Johnson was hired, everything was going to change.

Cutting Moore post June 1 still brings over $27 million in dead cap space, so the only way he'll be elsewhere in 2026 is if the Bears can find a trade partner. The Bears could eat some money to make a trade more accessible, but even so, the market for a guy coming off a career worst 50 receptions and 682 yards isn't high. If the Bears feel a change is their only course of action, they'll take the best trade offered.

A pay cut and a restructure rarely happens in the NFL, but it sounds like that's something that will be discussed with him. You never know what's most important to a player, so this option can't be dismissed.

The final option is to do nothing and just run it back as is, but that will be decided by how much salary cap space they can free up by other means.

In 2025, DJ's 85 targets was second most on the team behind Odunze's 90, but with the expected emergence of Loveland and Burden, Moore would be the fourth option in the passing game in 26.

Moving off Moore's contract would be much easier next offseason, where they'd have better than $20 million in savings.

2026 OUTLOOK -We'll know more once a decision is made on DJ Moore, but if he stays then there's no point in adding another player at the position besides a late pick or a UDFA to compelte for a bottom of the depth chart spot.

The Bears played with three receivers on the field over half the time last seaosn, so Burden, Odunze, and Moore is all they'd really need.

Duvernay back as a returner for a bit over $1M works. As would Zaccheaus back again for WR4/5 around $1.5M, and then he'd battle for reps with the developing Walker.

But if Moore is moved, then they need to address WR3, unless they want Zaccheaus in that role, or if they think Walker is ready.

There are several free agent wide outs who coud step in and be a fourth or fifth option in the passing game. Vets like Tim Patrick, Dayami Brown, TuTu Atwell, or Gabe Davis, but I'd rather they just roll with the Zaccheaus/Walker combo.

Drafting a receiver at some point makes sense regardless, but if Moore is moved out, then that player could come earlier than expected.

Chase Roberts from BYU is an older prospect, but he has the football IQ to contribute as a rookie and he's not afraid to mix it up as a blocker. Florida State's J. Michael Sturdivant is a burner who is still refining his technique, but a few go routes off play action would give the defense something to think about.

What do you think will happen at wideout this offseason?