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The Chicago Bears lost three veteran wide receivers this offseason -- DJ Moore, Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay -- and signed former Detroit Lions wideout Kalif Raymond to fill the void behind Rome Odunze Luther Burden III.
Raymond spent time with Ben Johnson during their run with the Detroit Lions, when the Chicago head coach served as Detroit's offensive coordinator. Raymond will bring a veteran presence to a young wide receiver room that is led by Rome Odunze and Luther Burden, while also adding in his experience on special teams, specifically as a punt returner where he had plenty of success in Detroit.
This week at minicamp, Raymond detailed what led him to reunite with his former coordinator in Chicago, and why the Bears were a much sought after destination in free agency.
"Listen if you've seen the way Ben works, to be able to be near him, to work with him, work for him, and all that stuff, man, it's a blessing," Raymond said. "But especially in free agency, a lot of that stuff, you don't really know what's coming. You ask my agent like, ‘Hey man, I just want to play football’, the rest of the stuff is kind of like you let it go. But to be here with him, to have been with him is a blessing in all respects. So, I was very excited and very thankful that I had the opportunity to come play with him and play for him."
While he may have initially been brought in for offensive depth and special teams, Raymond could find himself with a bigger role than thought in Johnson's offense, given the familiarity they have with one another. Chicago's receiving core has two highly talented young players in Odunze and Burden, but there's no denying the need for a veteran to step up when needed. And reuniting with Johnson could mean more opportunities for a player who just wanted to play football coming into the 2026 season.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Kalif Raymond opens up on why Chicago was a destination spot for him
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Raymond spent time with Ben Johnson during their run with the Detroit Lions, when the Chicago head coach served as Detroit's offensive coordinator. Raymond will bring a veteran presence to a young wide receiver room that is led by Rome Odunze and Luther Burden, while also adding in his experience on special teams, specifically as a punt returner where he had plenty of success in Detroit.
This week at minicamp, Raymond detailed what led him to reunite with his former coordinator in Chicago, and why the Bears were a much sought after destination in free agency.
"Listen if you've seen the way Ben works, to be able to be near him, to work with him, work for him, and all that stuff, man, it's a blessing," Raymond said. "But especially in free agency, a lot of that stuff, you don't really know what's coming. You ask my agent like, ‘Hey man, I just want to play football’, the rest of the stuff is kind of like you let it go. But to be here with him, to have been with him is a blessing in all respects. So, I was very excited and very thankful that I had the opportunity to come play with him and play for him."
While he may have initially been brought in for offensive depth and special teams, Raymond could find himself with a bigger role than thought in Johnson's offense, given the familiarity they have with one another. Chicago's receiving core has two highly talented young players in Odunze and Burden, but there's no denying the need for a veteran to step up when needed. And reuniting with Johnson could mean more opportunities for a player who just wanted to play football coming into the 2026 season.
Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Kalif Raymond opens up on why Chicago was a destination spot for him
Continue reading...
