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Bears rookie wide receiver Zavion Thomas.

The Chicago Bears made one of the most unexpected picks of the first three rounds of the 2026 NFL draft when they selected LSU wide receiver Zavion Thomas — a projected seventh-rounder — with the No. 89 pick in Round 3.

Instead of continuing to build up their defense, as they did with Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman’s selection in the first round, the Bears invested entirely in offense on the second day of the draft, adding a center, tight end and wide receiver with Day 2’s picks.

What has surprised most is which wide receiver the Bears took, choosing Thomas — who, at the time, ranked No. 17 among the remaining wide receivers on ESPN’s board.

Thomas had the third-fastest 40 time (4.28 seconds) among receivers at the 2026 NFL Combine and has intriguing upside as a return specialist, but he is less polished as a pass-catcher and may have a difficult time earning a rotational role for the offense.

Surprisingly, the Bears also seem to agree that Thomas faces an uphill battle on offense.

“So, this is a tough system,” Bears general manager Poles said April 24. “It’s going to be a challenge for him to break through quickly [on offense]. But we’re going to open that competition up for all of these guys coming in. I think we feel really good about the return ability that he has. And then he’ll be with the rest of the guys to learn the offense.

“How does he do that? How fast does he come along? We all talk to our receivers, and it’s a challenging system. So, maybe that role starts small and grows over time. But I don’t want to put a cap on that. If he comes in and downloads fast and he’s up and running, we’ll see what happens.”

Can Zavion Thomas Grow Beyond Special-Teams Role?

Plenty of people thought the Bears would draft a wide receiver in the 2026 draft. They have Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III ready to take the reins as their top wideouts and signed veteran Kalif Raymond to add depth next to Jahdae Walker, but they needed more after trading DJ Moore and letting Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay walk.

A third-round shot on Thomas, though? That’s quite the Ben Johnson gamble.

Thomas caught 64 passes for 706 yards and six touchdowns (four in 2025) over his two seasons at LSU. He also averaged 5.0 yards per carry on 40 touches as a ball-carrier and banked nearly 100 combined punt and kick returns over his four collegiate seasons, the first two of which he spent at Mississippi State before transferring as a junior for 2024.

While there is potential there, it is difficult to imagine he will crack the receiver rotation as a rookie and grow outside of a special teams role as a rookie without several injuries.

Here’s what The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote about Thomas in “The Beast,” his annual comprehensive NFL draft guide that featured 402 prospect profiles for 2026’s draft:

“Because of his speed and competitive energy, Thomas offers big-play potential every time he touches the rock. He scored a touchdown four different ways in college (receiving, rushing, punt return, kick return), and he shows immediate acceleration both horizontally and vertically. He is coachable and driven, both of which boost his NFL chances.”

Bears Could Pursue Another WR on Day 3 of Draft

The Bears took their swing at the wide receiver position with Thomas, but that does not mean they are done adding to the position, even though defensive needs loom large on the third and final day of the 2026 draft.

The Bears have a late fourth-round pick (No. 129) and an early fifth-rounder (No. 144) and could feel tempted if some of the receivers who were available at the end of Day 2 are still on the board when they make their picks. North Dakota State’s Bryce Lance — a big-bodied receiver with good hands, great body control and excellent speed — would make a lot of sense even after Thomas, but he is not the only sensible receiver choice.

Of course, the Bears neglected their defensive line needs — again — on the second day of the draft, declining to take a single edge rusher or defensive tackle despite NFL analysts flagging those positions as their biggest roster needs. There are quality options left at those positions, too, such as Penn State edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton and Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton, but whether Chicago will invest remains to be seen.