Head coach Ben Johnson’s arrival to the Chicago Bears is expected to immediately elevate the team’s offense to new heights. Based on Chicago’s offseason work, Johnson will have plenty of potent tools to work with.
Looking at the wide receiver room specifically, the Bears already had DJ Moore and Rome Odunze in the fold prior to hiring Johnson. But then they used their first second round pick on playmaker Luther Burden. If Johnson’s plans come to fruition, the Bears will have one of the scarier receiving trios in the league.
Just how good the passing attack can be will be up to quarterback Caleb Williams. However, at least entering the season, Trevor Sikkema argues that the Bears the ninth-best receiving corps in the NFL.
“The Bears ranked in the top five of my receiving corps rankings going into 2024, which proved to be too high for a unit that went on to rank 27th in PFF receiving grade,” Sikkema wrote. “However, much of the team’s struggles stemmed from a rookie quarterback and a bad offensive coaching staff. Chicago retained its core receivers — DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Cole Kmet — and added Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III to the mix while parting ways with Keenan Allen.”
State of the wide receiver room
Despite all of their new additions, Moore will only again be the leader in the wide receiver room. He has been a dominant force since joining the Bears in 2023, catching 194 passes for 2,330 yards and 14 touchdowns. Coming off of a 140 target campaign, it’d be more of a shock if Moore didn’t lead the Bears in targets again in 2025.
Odunze didn’t live up to his expectations as a rookie after being selected with the No. 9 overall pick. He caught 54 passes for 734 yards and three touchdowns. Still, he crossed the 100 target barometer. Furthermore, Odunze has a clear fan in Johnson. The receiver will need to prove himself, but Chicago still has high hopes for Odunze.
Burden fell to the second round of the draft due to his numbers dropping as a senior. Still, he was named First-team All-SEC for a second-straight year. The receiver was dominant as a junior, setting new career-highs in receptions (86), yardage (1,212) and touchdowns (nine). His abilities after the catch should make Burden a dynamic threat in the Bears’ passing attack.
There will be some speed bumps as Johnson implements his new offense. However, Chicago has the pieces in place to be one of the stronger passing teams in the league.
Where Chicago Bears rank in NFC North
Even with their eye-catching trio, the Bears’ receiveing corps ranked third in the NFC North. Johnson’s old team, the Detroit Lions, led the way by ranking fourth. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are a tantalizing duo when both healthy.
“The Lions recorded the highest team PFF receiving grade in the league last season (89.0). Five Detroit players recorded marks of 74.0 or higher,” Sikkema wrote. “Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. And St. Brown and Montgomery earned elite 90.0-plus PFF receiving grades.
“The Lions’ receiving corps is diverse and features high-ceiling players at every position,” he concluded.
Following them are the Minnesota Vikings, who came in at No. 6. Wide receiver Jordan Addison, tight end TJ Hockenson and running back Aaron Jones all make for fine receiving threats. But Minnesota’s passing attack runs through Justin Jefferson.
“Minnesota claimed the fourth-highest team PFF receiving grade in 2024 (82.1). Justin Jefferson’s resume speaks for itself at this point; he has logged five straight seasons with 88.0-plus PFF receiving grades and 2.40 yards per route run,” Sikkema wrote. “Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones all recorded PFF receiving grades above 70.0 in 2024, and the Vikings also added Tai Felton, Rondale Moore and Jordan Mason to the mix for 2025.”
The Bears did beat out their rival Green Bay Packers, who were all the way down at No. 21. Still, the Packers finally used a first-round pick on a receiver, bringing Matthew Golden into the fray.
“Still, Tucker Kraft emerged as Green Bay’s go-to tight end with a 71.0 PFF receiving grade, and Reed, Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson all recorded PFF receiving grades between 71.0 and 73.0,” Sikkema wrote. “First-round draft pick Matthew Golden should help the cause. There are a lot of names to consider in the Packers’ receiving corps, but none truly strike fear into defenses right now.”
It’ll take time for the Bears to climb back to the top of the NFC North. But at least when it comes to wide receiver, Chicago has the foundation to shine in 2025 and beyond.
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