The Chicago Bears are sure talking about undrafted rookie wide receiver Jahdae Walker like he will make their initial 53-man roster for the 2025 NFL season.
During Monday’s news conference, Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle indicated that Walker has made a strong impression on the coaching staff with his glowing review of how the 23-year-old rookie handled himself over the past month of training camp..
“I think there are a number of guys that have done a really good job,” Doyle said. “He is absolutely one of them. There are certain guys that walk outside for practice and it’s like a kid going to recess. They can’t freakin’ wait to get rolling, and Jahdae is that way.”
Walker has seemingly played his way into the conversation for one of the depth roles in the Bears’ deep wide receiver room for the 2025 season after a strong preseason finale. He caught three of his four targets for 37 yards in the 29-27 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, including a game-winning 15-yard touchdown pass in the final three seconds.
“Jahdae loves football,” Doyle continued. “He showed up in that last drive [against the Chiefs]. The play he made on the sideline was one of the better catches that I’ve seen. It was really impressive. But he’s just a guy who has worked every day. He embodies the kind of love that you want for football on our team.”
Jahdae Walker Has Earned a Meaningful Roster Look
Few surprises are expected at wide receiver for the Bears during 53-man roster cuts.
The Bears have five roster locks between D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay and will expectably count on that quintet for the bulk of their receiving reps during the regular season. Even still, there is likely one more roster spot up for grabs for a sixth receiver who can also chip in on special teams.
At the very least, Walker has earned serious consideration for the No. 6 role.
Walker has impressed with his reliable hands in practice throughout the summer, but he has also made plays outside of his pass-catching that have earned him points with the coaches. For example, after catching his 15-yard touchdown in the closing seconds against the Chiefs, he zoomed down the field with the coverage unit on the subsequent kickoff and helped tackle Chiefs kick returner Jimmy Holiday at the 22-yard line.
An effort play like that could go a long way in convincing the Bears that he deserves to make their 53-man roster as their sixth wide receiver.
Who Could Bump Out Jahdae Walker for No. 6 Spot?
Walker seems to have an advantage over the field for the No. 6 role in the receiver room — assuming the Bears even keep six — but the Bears also have other options to consider.
Maurice Alexander, who spent the past three seasons with Ben Johnson in Detroit, also stood out in the preseason, catching nine passes for 71 yards and a touchdown in his three performances. Alexander is a little older at 28 without much experience (51 career regular-season snaps), but his familiarity with Johnson’s offense could help him out.
Tyler Scott, a 2023 fourth-round pick, and veteran Miles Boykin are also in contention. Scott has not developed into nearly the contributor the Bears expected he would when they drafted him two offseasons ago, but they might not be ready to give up on him just yet, which could prompt them to keep him over Walker and the rest of the hopefuls.
The Bears must reduce their roster to the 53-man limit by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
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