Air Attack Incoming? A Deep Dive into the Bears Weapons Room
Under new head coach Ben Johnson, the Bears may be poised for one of their better years. The historic franchise has often not been successful on the offensive side of the ball. Under Caleb Williams, they had a promising year last year. However, there remains optimism that he can take another step forward. One of the key reasons for this hope is the new and improved set of weapons.
Third-round pick Luther Burden III and free agent Olamide Zaccheaus are the two noteworthy receiver additions that help give the team much-needed talent and depth. Last year with Washington, Zaccheaus had 45 catches for 506 yards and three touchdowns. These numbers may not be game-changing, but they are very solid for a third or fourth receiver. As a rookie, Burden has the most unknown about him in this room. However, he had plenty of talent shown during his time at Missouri, and the high investment in draft capital shows the team's belief in him. The 2025 10th overall pick, Colston Loveland, is also added to the mix. He offers plenty of receiving talent at the tight end position.
They also have returning starters DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. Moore is the leader of the pack this past year, which, even though it was a down year, he still recorded 98 catches, 966 yards, and six touchdowns. Odunze is the next man up, as in his rookie year this past year, he had 54 catches, 734 yards, and three touchdowns, while also showing plenty of room for growth. Veteran tight end Cole Kmet offers another strong returning option for Williams and this weapon room. On 47 catches, Kmet produced 474 yards and four touchdowns.
Johnson has helped turn the receiver and tight end rooms into strengths for the team. The weapon room now consists of a mix of veterans and young players. The hierarchy of targets is still up in the air. It is likely that it will change on a week-by-week basis. However, as a whole, the team should be set for a strong year. This offense potentially can be the most dynamic in recent team history.
