The Chicago Bears are clearly going in a new direct at wide receiver with the arrival of Ben Johnson and his coaching staff. It started to become apparent when they signed Olamide Zaccheaus last week from Washington. Now it’s even more obvious. The team came to terms with two-time Pro Bowler Devin Duvernay, who spent last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. While he never amounted to much on the offensive side, the veteran has become one of the league’s best special teams players.
Over the past five seasons, he has averaged a healthy 12 yards per punt return and has two kick returns for touchdowns. It is apparent the Bears are looking for guys with speed who can make plays with the ball in their hands. That was the case with Zaccheaus and is with Duvernay. This isn’t a surprise. Johnson sought out the same qualities when he was the offensive coordinator in Detroit. No doubt, he has ideas about how Duvernay can be useful in certain situations.
The Chicago Bears made a few things clear with this move.
First is that special teams coordinator Richard Hightower has plenty of sway inside the building. That shouldn’t be surprising after they elected to keep him after Matt Eberflus was fired. Duvernay is exactly the type of player he’d covet. Then there is the matter of Travis Scott. The former 4th round pick has tried to find a niche on the roster for the past two years, but issues with dropped passes and lack of versatility saw him relegated to the sideline most of last season. Zaccheaus and Duvernay arriving with their diverse skills make it more likely than ever that he might be on his way out. While unfortunate, it is a grim reminder that most later-round draft picks don’t pan out. Either way, the Chicago Bears look like a much deeper team at wide receiver now.