Every Chicago Bears fan is trying to figure out which rookie from the 2026 NFL Draft class has a chance to end up being the stand out of the group.
First-round pick safety Dillon Thieneman almost feels like the sure-fire choice as he looked impressive at Bears OTAs. Bleacher Report writer Moe Moton seems to be all-in on rookie third-round pick Zavion Thomas, as he is buying into the idea of Thomas playing a major role in the Bears' offense in 2026.
"Johnson wants to see Thomas' physical abilities translate when players put on pads in the summer and his understanding of the system in those training camp practices. Although Thomas posted modest collegiate receiving numbers at Mississippi State and LSU, he'll have a chance to fill a major void in the Bears' passing attack after the team traded DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills. Chicago signed Kalif Raymond, who played in Johnson's offense for three seasons while with the Detroit Lions, but he's taken the field for fewer than 38 percent of offensive snaps in three consecutive years. If Thomas demonstrates a strong command of Johnson's offense, he could be a fixture in three-receiver sets."
How involved will Zavion Thomas be in Bears' offense in 2026?
Bears general manager Ryan Poles did not anticipate Thomas playing a major role in the offense during his rookie season, as he will most likely be on special teams. During OTAs, though, a different story was brewing with head coach Ben Johnson. Over the last three weeks, Johnson had Thomas line up in the backfield and, at times, showed him with the starters.
Thomas really shined at OTAs as he made big play after big play. He had a deep ball catch from Caleb Williams and then a screen pass catch from Tyson Bagent that went for big yards.
The 4.28-second speed that Thomas has is too good to just leave on the sidelines even if he is still developing as a receiver. That kind of skill set with Johnson's mind is a perfect match for all kinds of gadget plays to be used to ensure that the ball is in Thomas's hands at all times.
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Chicago's offense already looks dangerous in 2026, but Thomas' potential just makes it that better. It may take a bit for Thomas to get into the flow of an NFL game, but once he figures it out, it's going to be an insane experience for Bears fans to see Thomas just outrunning every defender on every play.
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