The Chicago Bears made headlines this offseason by trading DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills, leaving a noticeable gap in their wide receiver corps. While the team still boasts impressive talent in Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III to catch passes from quarterback Caleb Williams, there's growing chatter that the slot receiver position could use a serious upgrade.
ESPN's Aaron Schatz recently highlighted this need, noting that despite the Bears' frequent use of two tight-end sets, they still deployed 11 personnel—three receivers, one tight end, one running back—52% of the time last season. "They need to have a third starting receiver to go with Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III," Schatz wrote. Currently, that role falls to veteran Kalif Raymond, who is 31 and has posted fewer than 300 yards in each of the past two seasons. The other option is third-round rookie Zavion Thomas, who is unproven at the NFL level.
Schatz didn't stop at identifying the problem; he offered a compelling solution: Deebo Samuel. "Deebo Samuel would be a really interesting free agent signing here," he wrote. Samuel remains one of several veteran wide receivers still available on the free-agent market, alongside names like Jauan Jennings, Stefon Diggs, and Curtis Samuel.
Coming off a solid season with the Washington Commanders, Samuel proved he still has plenty of gas in the tank, even as the team struggled overall. A move to Chicago would see him transition from throwing with 2024 NFL Draft No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels to the draft's top pick, Caleb Williams. That kind of quarterback talent could unlock even more of Samuel's versatile skill set.
If the Bears were to add Samuel to a depth chart already featuring Odunze and Burden, Chicago would boast one of the most dynamic receiving trios in the league. For a team with big aspirations, that kind of firepower could be the missing piece to help them contend for championships. Whether general manager Ryan Poles makes that call remains to be seen, but the idea of Deebo Samuel in a Bears uniform is certainly an exciting one for fans and fashion-conscious fans alike.