The Chicago Bears are looking to get their young wide receiver room in order for quarterback Caleb Williams before the 2026 season starts.
Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III already look like they have the potential to be a great one-two punch at the top of the depth chart. The real question is whether guys like Kalif Raymond, Jahdae Walker, and rookie Zavion Thomas can step up and be playmakers in this offense.
Bears fans forget about the depth that is already at the wide receiver position and the many others who could be in line to make the 53-man roster. There's one that is more interesting than the others that might be able to surprise some fans and sneak onto the team.
JP Richardson might finally be ready to play for the Bears in 2026
Last year, Richardson was a long shot to make the Bears' 53-man roster after being an undrafted free agent out of TCU. He made four receptions for 28 yards in the preseason, but ended up being cut. Richardson did end up getting signed to the Bears' practice squad right away and spent the season there.
It's Year 2 for Richardson, and he is looking to make some noise on this roster. Being an undersized receiver, Richardson is more of a slot receiver who needs to find the playmaking abilities he had with the Horned Frogs.
During his four-year run in college at Oklahoma State and TCU, Richardson caught 175 passes for 1,940 yards and 11 touchdowns. His final season in college was his best, as he made 57 receptions for 733 yards and two scores.
Where Richardson needs to improve as a receiver is to find that 12.9 yards per catch average he had his final year in college. The hands are not the problem here, but he's got to be able to collect the yards after catch to separate himself. He ran a 4.53-second 40-yard dash last offseason, so the speed is there for him.
It feels like, though, he is developing in the right direction and could be a difference-maker in the preseason for the Bears. He will have to get the job done on special teams, though, which shouldn't be a problem.
Read more: Coby Bryant dropped a cold 3-word response to disrespectful rankings
Chicago should try to hold on to Richardson and allow him to continue to develop. Letting him walk to another team is going to show how good he could be and bank on his potential.
Add us as a preferred source on Google