The Chicago Bears appear to have found a potential bargain in veteran receiver Kalif Raymond, with the undersized speedster wasting no time making a summer impact. Raymond's history with Ben Johnson clearly influenced the signing, with the pass catcher joining Chicago with a chance to compete with rookie Zavion Thomas as a starting role behind Rome Odunze and Luther Burden remains up for grabs.
Not only has Raymond made a compelling case for the role, but the pass catcher didn't hesitate to take Thomas under his wing. Starting in minicamp, Raymond helped the young receiver while showing the Bears what he was still capable of bringing on the field. This continued over the last week with Bears pundit Clay Harbor offering, "Kalif Raymond continues to impress. He had two early catches, added another during two-minute and made the play of the day between Dillon Thieneman and Devin Bush."
Raymond didn't have just one good day, but has been a consistent presence throughout camp. While the veteran is undersized, there is a clear fit in Johnson's system based on his speed and ability to find open space. This will be especially valued as the Bears start the regular season and attention is focused on the team's younger weapons.
It makes sense to put Thomas in the fourth receiver role and allow Raymond to hold the third starting spot. Looking at current pass catching options Chicago is going to feature Colston Loveland, Luther Burden, Rome Odunze, and Cole Kmet. This makes it clear the Bears are always going to have more threatening players on the field inviting potentially great matchups for Raymond to take advantage of. There is also the hope that Raymond can use his speed for a handful of big plays.
No matter how the regular season plays out, there is no question Raymond is earning his spot as a starter. It also has to be considered that Johnson has a long history with the receiver, as the two worked together in Detroit.
Even putting this aside, the aging receiver earned his roster spot and a chance to begin the season in the starting lineup. This is no small accomplishment, as Chicago has a deep receiver room and more potential contributors than roster spot. It speaks to why the franchise shuffled the position throughout the year and still continues to have an argument as the league's best group of playmakers.
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This article was originally published on www.dawindycity.com as Kalif Raymond is making a serious push for a starting role with the Bears .
