Kalif Raymond is already reminding fans how valuable he can be for Bears’ offense after two days of training camp
Chicago Bears wide receiver Kalif Raymond has been making plays in back-t0-back days in his first training camp back with Ben Johnson and we’re not talking about this guy enough and the role he could have in this offense.
Chicago Bears wide receiver Kalif Raymond is starting to generate more buzz for himself at training camp through the first two days of practice at Halas Hall, and it’s time to start paying more attention.
The veteran slot receiver signed with Chicago this offseason to fill the WR3 role vacated by the departure of Olamide Zaccheaus, and Raymond is already building a case for a significant role in Ben Johnson’s offense alongside Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III.
Kalif Raymond’s speed and shiftiness has been on full display at training camp
Going back to Wednesday’s practice on the first day of training camp, Raymond was already generating buzz. He caught one pass from Williams, looked shifty after the catch, and was going in and out of defenders with ease. Granted, there are no pads and no live tackling at this stage of camp, but once Raymond turned on the jets and hit the sideline, he would have been off to the races in a live game setting.
Then he took things up another level on Thursday with the play of the day. Raymond hauled in a 54-yard touchdown on a deep ball from Williams, splitting the coverage between Tyrique Stevenson and Coby Bryant. It wasn’t just the one deep ball for Raymond, it was also a bunch of other impressive plays throughout the day that shows this guy belongs in this offense.
Ben Johnson isn’t surprised by the early impact Kalif Raymond is making in Chicago
“He has got this vertical push to his game where he comes raging off the football, and if you’re a DB, you can’t help but back up. That carries over with the routes he runs,” head coach Ben Johnson said about Raymond back in June. “It’s been really good for our route runners to see because it’s really what we want to see across the board. He’s been exactly what we hoped for when we came into the building.”
Working with Ben Johnson in Detroit, Raymond served as the WR3/4 for the Lions so he is familiar with the kind of role he’s expected to have in 2026. That doesn’t mean he won’t be utilized though, because Johnson clearly has big plans for No. 14 offensively.
“There’s a lot that he can do in the offensive game,” Johnson added. “He’s not a gadget guy, but he’s unique in his ability to have enough speed to take it over the top, make defenses hurt that way. But also inside the numbers, outside the numbers, he’s got elite quickness. You get the ball in his hands, he’s excellent running after the catch. He’s very versatile and I think he’s going to be a huge part of what we do.”
Raymond is starting to establish familiar buzz at training camp that Zaccheaus had last year
Raymond’s early returns so far echoes what the Bears saw last year with Zaccheaus throughout training camp and the buzz he generated going into the start of the 2025 season. Everyone was talking about Zaccheaus and how he was going to be in line for a ton of touches and targets once the regular season arrived with the way Williams was obsessed with targeting Zaccheaus in practice, and the ways Johnson was scheming to get his slot receiver open.
Eventually, Zaccheaus’ role was absorbed by Burden, who has now moved into DJ Moore’s vacated role for 2026. That opened the door for Raymond to step in as the WR3 in that same slot role. Now, rookie Zavion Thomas could eventually take over later in the season the way Burden did last year, but as of right now, Raymond is looking like the guy.
Could Raymond have career-high potential in Chicago?
Raymond’s best statistical season came with the Detroit Lions back in 2021, when he posted 71 targets and 48 receptions under then offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn. The way things are sounding through only two days of camp, Raymond could be in for a career-best season in Chicago working with Johnson again.
Yes, it’s early and Thomas could eventually eat into Raymond’s role. But the Bears are clearly excited to have the veteran in the fold, and if Raymond keeps flashing like this, he has the makings of a real weapon for Williams and Johnson’s offense in 2026.
“If you’ve seen the way Ben works, to be able to be near him, work for him, work under him, all that stuff, it’s a blessing,” Raymond said. “I was very excited and thankful that I had an opportunity to come play for him.”