Feb. 4, 2026, 6:35 p.m. CT

The Chicago Bears had a magical 2025 season under first-year head coach Ben Johnson, where they went from worst to first with an 11-6 record, NFC North title and the franchise’s first playoff win in 15 years. And there’s no denying that the future is bright.

While the Bears exceeded expectations in their first year under Johnson, there’s still plenty of work to be done with this roster, most notably on defense. After overhauling the offense in the trenches and at skill positions, the focus shifts to the defense where the hope is general manager Ryan Poles does the same to round out this unit under defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and form a complete team with a top-five offense.

Here at Bears Wire, we’re going position by position through the 2025 Bears and grading every player. Next up is wide receiver, a group that featured a mix of veteran players and youth for quarterback Caleb Williams. DJ Moore and Rome Odunze returned as the top two options, while the Bears added rookie Luther Burden and journeyman Olamide Zaccheaus. The Bears had a balanced group with three players exceeding 650 yards, though it’s fair to say they didn’t live up to expectations.

DJ Moore

2025 stats: 50 receptions, 682 yards, 6 touchdowns; 15 carries, 79 yards, 1 touchdown

Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!

Coming into the season, questions surrounded DJ Moore and how he would be utilized in Johnson’s offense. The playmaking receiver was taking snaps at running back throughout training camp, and some wondered if he would get passed up in the pecking order on passing downs. Those concerns had some validity, as Moore had his worst season statistically in terms of receptions and yards as a pro, but he was paramount to the Bears’ success in 2025. Moore made two legendary plays to propel the Bears past the Packers in the regular season and the playoffs, and he came up big on various broken plays to keep Chicago alive. Though Moore isn’t living up to his hefty salary as the team’s WR1, he was durable, a willing blocker, and did a little bit of everything in 2025. We’ll see if he sticks with the Bears in 2026 as trade rumors surround him going into the offseason.

Grade: B

Luther Burden III

2025 stats: 47 receptions, 652 yards, 2 touchdowns; 6 carries, 37 yards

The Bears surprised many fans on Day 2 of the NFL Draft when they selected Luther Burden III out of Missouri to join a receiving room that already had Moore and Rome Odunze, but Johnson and the front office knew what they were doing. Burden was a player with rare athleticism in college that projected as a first-round pick. The Bears benefitted when he slipped in the second round, and he became one of the most dependable pass catchers the team had late in the season. Burden was used sparingly early on, sans a 101-yard outing where he scored a 65-yard touchdown off a flea flicker in Week 3. As the weeks wore on, Burden started drawing more and more targets from Williams. He made defenders miss in open space constantly and showed off his speed on deep routes. Burden still has plenty to learn, as he struggled at times with certain play calls, but his rookie season can only be described as a rousing success.

Grade: A

Rome Odunze

2025 stats: 44 receptions, 661 yards, 6 touchdowns

Hopes were high for Odunze heading into Year 2 of his NFL career. After producing as a rookie on a disjointed offense, he was set to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the new system being put in place, as well as new coaches like Antwaan Randle El, and his continued connection with Williams. The duo made it known early that they were ready to grow together early in the season when they combined for 470 yards and five touchdowns through seven games. The production was great to see, though Odunze struggled with drops and wasn’t always on the same page as his quarterback. Unfortunately, his production dipped after he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his foot, which eventually forced him to miss the final five regular season games of the year. Odunze returned for the postseason but wasn’t 100% healthy and struggled at times. Despite the fast start, the former No. 9 overall pick failed to live up to expectations in 2025.

Grade: B-

Olamide Zaccheaus

2025 stats: 39 receptions, 313 yards, 2 touchdowns; 4 carries, 25 yards

The Bears brought in Olamide Zaccheaus on an affordable one-year deal last offseason as a depth receiver behind Moore and Odunze. He quickly earned the trust of Williams in training camp and became a dependable target early in the year. Zaccheaus was the team’s WR3 for half a season, and while he was credited by his teammates for doing the unsung work on offense, he struggled mightily with drops. Eventually, Zaccheaus saw his snaps and targets diminish due to the emergence of Burden. He totaled just 87 yards over his last 10 games. Zaccheaus was a decent role player in 2025 and held the WR3 spot warm until Burden got up to speed. It remains to be seen whether or not Zaccheaus returns in 2026.

Grade: C

Devin Duvernay

2025 stats: 2 receptions, 26 yards

Another free agent acquisition in 2025, Devin Duvernay filled the Bears’ void on special teams at punt and kick returner, while showing up occasionally on offense as a receiver. Duvernay logged just 40 total snaps on offense and wasn’t a factor outside of two games where he caught a pair of passes for first downs.

Grade: INCOMPLETE

Jahdae Walker

2025 stats: 6 receptions, 87 yards, 2 touchdowns

Who would have thought the Bears’ preseason hero would have one of the best moments of the season in a pivotal December matchup? Jahdae Walker, an undrafted free agent, scratched and clawed his way onto the final roster at the end of August following a stellar training camp and preseason, though he rarely saw the field for much of the regular season. Walker was a healthy scratch most of the time, only participating in special teams until the Bears’ Week 16 matchup against the Packers. Due to injuries at the position, Walker finally got his shot and made the most of it with a game-tying touchdown to force overtime. Walker followed that up with two more productive outings to end the season. We’ll see what his future holds, but for someone who wasn’t expected to play any sort of role, Walker delivered when it counted the most.

Grade: B

Position grade: B-

On paper, the Bears’ wide receivers looked like one of the deepest groups in the league. They had a solid mix of veteran experience and youth that could grow together with one of the best receiver coaches in the league. While the group produced three players with more than 650 yards in a balanced attack, they committed too many drops that stalled drives throughout the season. Williams lost 404 yards due to drops by his pass catchers, per NFL Next Gen Stats. And the season ended on a sour note for the group when it looked like both Moore and Odunze were late getting to their spots on the final offensive play of the divisional round game against the Los Angeles Rams. All in all, it’s a talented group that may have a star in the making in Burden. If Odunze can bounce back in 2026, those two will be a solid duo for the foreseeable future.