With the first practice of the Chicago Bears' 2026 training camp now on the horizon, fans will have their eye on some prominent position battles as well as some sneaky players who could earn a roster spot over the next month.
Walker did not have much of a role as a rookie, but he came up big in a couple of critical spots. He seemed to have a solid path to being the Bears' WR3 this season after DJ Moore was traded, then Zavion Thomas was drafted in the third round to add some notable competition.
During a recent episode of "Hoge and Jahns", previewing Bears' training camp, Adam Hoge of CHGO talked about Walker as a player he'll be watching.
"How good is Jahdae Walker"?, Hoge said. "Let's not forget this guy sorta came out of nowhere last year to actually earn a 53-man roster spot. And then backed it up by making some big plays for you in games that mattered."
"But it was just sort of a sprinkling. Can he still develop into a starter? He's young, he seems to have a lot of talent. I think this is a crucial month for Jahdae Walker, and I'll be watching that."
Jahdae Walker showed he's ready to prove himself worthy of a bigger role months ago
Back in late April, Walker appeared on ESPN 1000 with Jeff Joniak and Tom Thayer. He was asked if he had a vision for himself in 2026, and he gave an answer you'd expect from a player who wasn't drafted.
"Oh yeah, for sure", Walker said. "Just going in and put my head down and working. Last year was last year. (It) really don't mean anything for me...At this point, I'm starting fresh just like everybody else. So, I'm starting from square one and I'm proving myself again this year."
The Bears quickly suggested Thomas wouldn't have much of an offensive role as a rookie. But late-April plans don't always stick all the way to September. If he stands out on the practice field and shows he has a full grasp of Ben Johnson's offense, it will be hard to make a case for keeping him off the field.
Right before Thomas was drafted, Walker sounded unfazed by any obstacles that might be put in his way in a battle for spots below Rome Odunze and Luther Burden on the Bears' wide receiver depth chart.
Read more: Darnell Wright gets a copy-and-paste ranking among his peers as 2026 season looms
That mindset surely remains now, as that camp battle looms, and Hoge isn't the only one who's particularly interested in seeing how Walker looks.
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