Gene Chamberlain· Aug 9, 2026
Chamberlain reads the Bears' practice usage as evidence rookie Zavion Thomas has moved ahead of Jahdae Walker in the receiver rotation, working as part of the standard three-receiver group with Kalif Raymond and Rome Odunze.
“It says what they think about Thomas already if they're moving him in ahead of Walker, a player whose skills they trumpeted in the past.”
published in writing · Sports Illustrated · read the original →
3 checkable claims — 3 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
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Who this take is about
3 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Depth Chart CallsZavion ThomasChicago BearsAug 9, 2026
Zavion Thomas to be 3rd on the depth chart
“The Bears immediately went not to using Walker with starters but to putting the rookie, Thomas, in along with Raymond and Odunze in a standard three-receiver personnel groupings. It says what they think about Thomas already if they're moving him in ahead of Walker”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsJahdae WalkerChicago BearsAug 9, 2026
Jahdae Walker to be 4th on the depth chart
“Walker hasn't become too antsy being behind a better group of receivers.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsXavier WoodsChicago BearsAug 9, 2026
Xavier Woods to be 1st on the depth chart
“No doubt he'll be out there soon in the spot Lewis had been manning”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Mike MoraitisRoster Spot Calls · Josh BlackwellHit · 100Moraitis names seven Bears as trade candidates before roster cuts, predicting Kiran Amegadjie and Jedrick Wills are on the roster bubble and likely to be traded, while Ozzy Trapilo avoids an injured list, and listing several players as locks for the 53-man roster.
- Tom JensenRoster Spot Calls · Cole KmetMiss · 0NFL.com published a list of players it expects to be released by cutdown day, headlined by tight ends Dawson Knox, T.J. Hockenson and Cole Kmet.
- Mike MoraitisRoster Spot Calls · Luther Burden IIIHit · 100Moraitis argues Ruben Hyppolite is at real risk of being cut, names T.J. Edwards, Devin Bush, D'Marco Jackson (and a healthy Keyshaun Elliott) as locks at linebacker, says Braxton Jones is the clear favorite to start at left tackle with Amegadjie and Wills fighting for a backup job (the loser possibly cut), and believes Scotty Miller has the edge over Kaden Davis for the final receiver spot.
- Jerry MarkarianRoster Spot Calls · Jordan van den BergHit · 100Markarian expects Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter Sr. and Neville Gallimore to be locks as the Bears' top three defensive tackles, with Jordan van den Berg also likely to make the roster, and sees Kentavius Street as the favorite for the last DT spot over James Lynch and UDFA Jayden Loving — though Loving could win it with a strong preseason or land on the practice squad.
- Pete MartuneacRoster Spot Calls · Skyler ThomasMiss · 0Martuneac argues that undrafted rookie defensive back Skyler Thomas, despite making the Bears' initial 53-man roster and grading highly in the preseason, is likely to be released before the Week 1 opener against Carolina. He also notes in passing that Cleveland is in the running for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 draft.
- Jerry MarkarianRoster Spot Calls · Theo BenedetHit · 100Markarian says Bears tackle Theo Benedet's spot on the roster is essentially secure as the team's top swing tackle, and suggests that if Benedet wins the left tackle job he could command roughly a $5-6 million deal in free agency next offseason, versus a near-minimum deal if he loses out to Braxton Jones.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
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- Matt SeveranceDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100The CBS Sports preview backs Tampa Bay to beat Cleveland in the Bucs' Week 2 home opener, and states that Deshaun Watson — not Shedeur Sanders — will be Cleveland's starting quarterback in Week 2.
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- Bradley LockerDepth Chart Calls · Carson WentzHit · 100PFF's unsigned adjusted power rankings after Week 1 of the 2026 season place the Bills first, the Rams second and the Dolphins last, with notes on quarterback situations in Seattle, Minnesota and Cleveland.
- Tyler SullivanDepth Chart Calls · Michael Penix Jr.Miss · 0In a Week 1 recap with no named byline, CBS Sports suggested Michael Penix Jr. would take over as Atlanta's Week 2 starter if healthy, called Ashton Jeanty's sophomore breakout imminent, and warned readers not to overlook San Francisco as NFC West winners.