The Chicago Bears added several notable rookies to the roster in the 2026 NFL Draft, including third-round wide receiver Zavion Thomas, who stole the show during the offseason program.
Whether it was rookie minicamp, OTAs or veteran minicamp, Thomas’ name came up almost daily as the young wideout made play after play during the spring. Which is why ESPN’s Courtney Cronin dubbed Thomas the team’s biggest surprise standout this offseason.
“The lightning-fast receiver who ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine got ample reps as a punt returner this spring and showed that he can be more than a special teams star with his skill set on offense,” Cronin wrote.
But don’t just take it from the media. Head coach Ben Johnson has sang Thomas’ praises all offseason, and it’s clear that the rookie will factor into the offensive game plan this season and perhaps even have a similar impact that Luther Burden III had in 2025.
“He tends to make a play almost every single day right now that says, OK, if we can harness all of this energy and make sure that we can trust him and he’s going to align where he needs to and run the route the way we need him to, that we really could use him and he could be a big weapon for us this year,” Johnson said of Thomas.
The Bears have an arsenal of weapons for third-year quarterback Caleb Williams, including receivers Rome Odunze, Burden, Kalif Raymond and Thomas, as well as tight ends Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet. Thomas likely won’t be a featured player on offense immediately with all of the mouths to feed on offense. But leave it to Johnson to utilize Thomas in a way that will be benefit the offense and likely cause fits for opposing defenses.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: This Bears rookie was dubbed Chicago’s biggest surprise standout
Reporting by Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire | USA TODAY Network
