When it comes to the offseason, there are a million different paths a team can take between the start of free agency and the opening of training camp (and just as many twists that can unfold between camp and Week 1.) Every move sets off a chain reaction, and the decisions made in March often shape what we’re talking about in September.
While some of the Chicago Bears’ most pressing needs clearly sit in the trenches and the secondary, I wanted to shift the spotlight to another position group that could quietly define how far this offense can go. The wide receiver room is at an interesting crossroads. There is talent in place, but also questions about depth, role fit, development, and how aggressive the front office wants to be in reshaping the group. Do the Bears trade D.J. Moore for draft capital? Do they restructure him? Do they stand pat, re-sign Olamide Zaccheaus and hope another year in the system (and a reduced role) sees him flourish more? Do they expand Jahdae Walker’s role, after he became a solid contributor at the end of the season? Do they use draft capital to find more talent? A million questions, a billion answers.
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Maybe this perspective is a little influenced by my own history playing the position, but I’ve always believed receiver rooms are about more than just star power. They’re about complementary skill sets, timing, and giving your quarterback options that match different situations.
So let’s dive into three scenarios the Bears could explore as they look to shape their wide receiver room heading into the 2026 offseason.
Scenario 1
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Chicago Bears trade DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills for a 2026 4th round pick, 126th overall.
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Olamide Zaccheaus is not re-signed.
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Devin Duvernay is re-signed at 1 year 1,345,000 (vet minimum).
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Jahdae Walker elevated to F/Slot wide receiver.
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Bears sign WR John Metchie III to a$5.6M/2yr deal ($2.75M AAV)
Why this scenario works:
First and foremost, I’m a huge fan of DJ, effort debate aside, dead and buried, he’s been one of the most important receivers to lace them up for the Bears since Brandon Marshall, but he is carrying a $28,500,000 price tag into the 2026 season with production not justifying the 8th highest wide receiver contract in the NFL according to Over The Cap a pre June 1st trade would free up around $16.5 to $17.5M that can be used in other areas of need. Moving off of DJ would move Luther Burden III up to the starting role for the offenses’ Z role with his ability to create YAC on a whim.
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Olamide Zaccheaus walking might be one of the more obvious moves this off-season in my eyes, he carried a 9% drop rate in 2026, and while his price tag was only $1.5M in 2025, his production can be easily replaced.
I like Devin Duvernay as a special teams contributor, bringing him back on a vet minimum deal makes sense.
Jahdae Walker came on late last year, recording 6 receptions on 10 targets for 87 yards and 2 touchdowns as Olamide Zaccheaus saw his role shrink in the offense. Walker has a good blend of speed and size that allows him to play both X/Z receiver roles and showed a knack for hauling in throws in the clutch.
I’ve liked Metchie since he was drafted to the Texans. Not only was Metchie just as productive as Zaccheaus was in a horrendous Jets offense, he’s 3 years younger and will cost only $800,000 more AAV than Zaccheaus (per Over The Caps contract Valuation.) Metchie has good speed and plays a versatile brand of WR, which is important in Ben Johnson’s offense.
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This scenario tells us that the Bears (obviously) are ready to pen Rome Odunze and Luther Burden as this franchises’ Number one and two wide receivers moving forward. Adding Metchie would bolster the depth of the position while adding some special teams upside, as Metchie has experience playing gunner and fielding kick returns.
Projected Depth Chart:
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X Receiver: Rome Odunze, Jahdae Walker
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Z Receiver: Luther Burden III, Jahdae Walker
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F/Slot Receiver: Jahdae Walker, John Metchie III, Devin Duvernay
Salary Cap Impact:
2025 Impact: $39,371,083
2026 Impact: $24,866,083 (including ~$10,000,000 in dead cap due to DJ Moore trade)
Scenario 2
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Chicago Bears restructure DJ Moore’s contract: Standard restructure spreads deal out over remaining 4 years saving roughly $16.7M for the 2026 season.
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Olamide Zaccheaus is not re-signed.
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Devin Duvernay is re-signed at 1 year 1,345,000 (vet minimum).
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Jahdae Walker remains depth WR, spelling X/Z/F throughout the season.
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Bears draft Missouri WR Kevin Coleman Jr. in the 4th round (129th overall.)
Why this scenario works:
Another option with the DJ Moore contract would be a restructure. By converting a portion of his base salary into a signing bonus, the Bears could spread that money across the remaining years of his deal. It is a short-term cash and cap advantage that provides immediate relief for the 2026 season, while pushing a larger cap hit into future years. That is a move you make if you see Moore as part of the plan beyond this season.
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Zaccheaus walks for obvious reasons.
Duvernay is still worth bringing back, primarily for his value on special teams and as a depth piece who can fill situational snaps when needed.
Jahdae Walker keeps the late-season role he carved out for himself. He went from just four snaps across the first 14 games to 60 snaps over the final three weeks of the year. That kind of usage shift usually signals growing trust from the coaching staff, and I think we see his snap count and target share continue to rise moving forward, regardless.
I’ve been very high on Kevin Coleman Jr. out of Missouri. Current PFF mock drafts have him going around pick 134, which lines up nicely with the Bears’ fourth-round range at pick 129. One of the biggest reasons I like Coleman is his contested catch ability. He hauled in 81.8% of those opportunities in 2025, an area where the Bears’ receiving corps struggled last season. Coleman and Burden are also longtime competitive rivals, being the top two wide receivers from the St. Louis area since the age of nine. Bringing in that competitive rivalry could further elevate both players’ game. Resident draft expert Jacob Infante recently gave a quick pre-draft scouting report on Coleman:
For all intents and purposes, this would be a scenario that most replicates continuity within the wide receiver unit, with the only major change coming with the addition of Kevin Coleman Jr. through the draft. A scenario like this would tell us that Johnson and the Bears brass are happy with the wide receiver unit overall, but it never hurts to add more upside to it.
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Projected Depth Chart:
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X Receiver: Rome Odunze, Jahdae Walker
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Z Receiver: DJ Moore, Luther Burden III, Jahdae Walker
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F/Slot Receiver: Luther Burden III, Kevin Coleman Jr., Devin Duvernay
Salary Cap Impact:
2025 Impact: $39,371,083
2026 Impact: $24,687,234
Scenario 3
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Chicago Bears package WR DJ Moore, 2026 (25th overall) and 2027 1st round picks to the Las Vegas Raiders for DE Maxx Crosby and 2026 3rd round pick (67th overall).
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Olamide Zaccheaus is not re-signed.
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Devin Duvernay is not re-signed.
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Jahdae Walker remains depth WR, spelling X/Z/F throughout the season.
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Bears sign free agent WR Rashid Shaheed to a $48M/2yr deal ($16.0M AAV)
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Bears draft Tennessee WR Chris Brazzell II in the 3rd round (67th overall, pick acquired from Las Vegas.)
Why this scenario works:
Okay, I admit it. We got a little crazy with this one, but what is the offseason for if not exploring a few wild scenarios?
It’s no secret that there are rumors swirling around Las Vegas about Maxx Crosby’s future. With the Raiders firmly in rebuild mode, a move that lands them a veteran wide receiver to help guide a young core, while also adding draft capital, makes sense from their perspective. For the Bears, this trade would instantly elevate the pass rush to near-elite status, pairing Montez Sweat and Maxx Crosby as the starting duo with Odeyingbo and Austin Booker rotating in behind them. This deal is about on par with the cost of getting Micah Parsons, but per our own Bill Zimmerman, that price tag may be a bit lower than I speculated here.
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As mentioned earlier, a pre-June 1 trade of D.J. Moore would free up roughly $16.5 million in cap space. Combined with other cuts and restructures, that gives Chicago significant flexibility to work with in 2026. And it goes without saying that Crosby is a true game-wrecker. Bears fans know that well after the way he nearly took over and won the game against Chicago in 2025.
No change here from earlier scenarios, Zaccheaus still exits the picture.
Devin Duvernay also moves on in this version, clearing the way for the Shaheed addition.
Jahdae Walker keeps the late-season role he earned, with his strong finish signaling a likely increase in snaps and targets moving forward.
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Now for the more interesting moves. Shaheed had a bit of a renaissance after being traded to Seattle last season. After entering the league as an undrafted free agent with the Saints, he put together a solid three-and-a-half-year run as a utility receiver and return specialist, totaling 138 receptions for 2,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also averaged 13.2 yards per punt return with two return touchdowns, along with 23.2 yards per kickoff return.
He really took off in Seattle, returning both a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns while averaging 16.2 yards per punt return and 29.9 yards per kickoff return. The idea here is simple: Shaheed immediately upgrades the return game while giving Ben Johnson another offensive weapon. He can stretch defenses vertically, but also create stress horizontally through jet sweeps and reverses. Reports suggest Shaheed could command around $14.1 million annually in free agency, so this move likely requires paying a slight premium to land him, hence the $16.0 million price tag.
Finally, the pick acquired from the D.J. Moore trade is used to draft Chris Brazzell II out of Tennessee. According to PFF, he’s currently mocked around pick 77, so taking him at 67 feels reasonable given his skill set. The 6’5” wideout draws comparisons to Plaxico Burress. He brings vertical ability thanks to his size and underrated speed, while also showing a natural feel for creating separation in the intermediate areas of the field, an area the Bears targeted at one of the highest rates in the league during 2025. His size creates a massive catch radius, which can help quarterbacks on those intermediate throws. He feels like the exact type of receiver Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams would want attacking deep digs and post routes. It also creates flexibility if the team ever needs to adjust roles around Rome Odunze. (Not implying anything there, I’m a Rome believer through and through, just acknowledging the added versatility.)
This scenario tells us a few things.
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First, the Bears went out and landed the biggest name on the market again, signaling a willingness to aggressively reshape the direction of the franchise. Adding Maxx Crosby elevates not only the defensive front, but the secondary as well, since consistent pressure shortens the time defensive backs are asked to cover.
Second, the team clearly believed some of the wide receiver deficiencies from 2025 needed solutions beyond coaching or internal development. Adding two new pieces suggests they wanted a different skill mix. With Brazzell’s strong hands at the catch point and ability to separate in the intermediate game, and Shaheed’s Swiss army knife skillset, the Bears would be betting on that group taking a major step forward.
Projected Depth Chart:
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X Receiver: Rome Odunze, Chris Brazzell II, Jahdae Walker
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Z Receiver: Luther Burden III, Rasheed Shaheed, Jahdae Walker
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F/Slot Receiver: Rasheed Shaheed, Jahdae Walker
Salary Cap Impact:
2025 Impact: $39,371,083
2026 Impact: $37,021,866 (including ~$10,000,000 in dead cap due to DJ Moore trade)
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Now It’s Your Turn, Windy City Gridiron
At the end of the day, the wide receiver room might not be the biggest headline of the offseason, but the decisions made here could quietly shape how far this offense can go in 2026. Whether it’s standing pat, making a bold trade, or investing in new talent, every path comes with its own risks and upside.
What would you like to see happen with the Bears receiving group in 2026? Is D.J. Moore still a Bear next season? Do you want to see the team invest more heavily through free agency or the draft?
Let us know in the comments below!
Gary Baugher Jr. is a rookie contributor to WCG, bringing football insight backed by over 16 years of experience in organized football and more than 30 years as a passionate fan of the game. You can follow him on Twitter at @iamcogs.
