It was clear that when the Chicago Bears signed former Detroit Lions wide receiver and returner Kalif Raymond, the team was looking to add more speed.
For years, Raymond has burned the Bears' defense with his speed on offense and special teams, proving to be a worthy weapon. Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower praised Raymond, but also made a confession about him that'll be music to the ears of Bears fans everywhere.
"His ability to make the first man miss. That jumps off the tape," Hightower said via 247Sports' Zack Pearson. "When we played him, those weren't weeks we slept well."
Kalif Raymond gets high praise from one of his new coaches
Bears head coach Ben Johnson is all too familiar with Raymond, as he coached him when the two were together with the Lions. Last season in Detroit, Raymond went for 289 receiving yards and caught a touchdown, as well as returned a punt for a score.
With Chicago trading DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills in the offseason, the Bears needed a new WR3 to step up, and that's the role they hope Raymond will be able to step into. It will be a smooth transition since Raymond knows Johnson's offense from his time as Detroit's offensive coordinator.
The real question will be how much Raymond is used on special teams, as he should be the top returner, but the Bears selected wide receiver Zavion Thomas in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Thomas is known for being a returner as well, and Bears general manager Ryan Poles has already stated that Thomas will be more on special teams in his rookie year.
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It certainly feels as though Raymond could have a bigger impact on offense in 2026, but can he match the kind of production they were getting from Moore?
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