‘It’s like a kid going to recess’ — Declan Doyle’s comments on a rookie WR the NFL forgot to draft bodes well for his roster hopes
He’s earned a spot on this team.
Roster cuts are always a tough time for all NFL teams but the play of some players can lead to some even tougher decisions for the front office and coaching staff.
That’s exactly the kind of situation wide receiver Jahdae Walker created for the Chicago Bears and by all means it’s a good kind of situation to have this time of year.
Walker, over the last few weeks, has more than earned a spot on the Bears 53-man roster, it’s just whether or not the numbers make sense to keep him around with at least five wide receivers locked into a spot.
After the latest comments by offensive coordinator Declan Doyle on Monday, Walker should feel a whole lot better about his chances of surviving the roster cuts.
“There are a number of guys that have done a really good job, he’s 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 freaking wait to get rolling and Jahdae is that way,” Doyle said. “Jahdae loves football. He showed up in that last drive and the play he made on our sideline was one of the better catches that I’ve seen, it was really pretty impressive. He’s just a guy that has worked everyday. He embodies the kind of love that you want for football on our team.”
Doyle is far from the first person in Chicago to express the level of respect the undrafted free agent pickup has received over the last few weeks. In three preseason games, Walker led the Bears with two receiving touchdowns and was second on the team with 98 yards and third with eight receptions.
With his play in practice and during the preseason, Walker quickly became a player his teammates can trust to make a play when it counts, and that showed on the final drive against the Kansas City Chiefs in the preseason finale on Friday.
“I really trust Jahdae in the short time I’ve gotten to know him,” veteran quarterback Case Keenum explained following the preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins.
That level of trust is essential for any player looking to play in Ben Johnson’s offense and looking to make this roster going into the 2025 season. It’s clear Walker has earned that level of trust and by this time tomorrow we will have a final decision on whether or not he makes this football team.
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