# Gene Chamberlain: 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. **Claimed:** Aug 9, 2026 **Pundit:** Gene Chamberlain — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/gene-chamberlain **Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/sports-illustrated **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/bears/onsi/luther-burden-injury-bears-training-camp 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. > 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. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Zavion Thomas to be 3rd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Zavion Thomas, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jahdae Walker to be 4th on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jahdae Walker, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Xavier Woods to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Xavier Woods, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Zavion Thomas — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/zavion-thomas - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bears - Jahdae Walker — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jahdae-walker - Xavier Woods — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/xavier-woods ## What others said about the same people - Mike Moraitis on Josh Blackwell: Moraitis 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/07eb40f6-9e40-4a79-b1d4-e2f7e73e104a (scored 100) - Tom Jensen on Cole Kmet: NFL.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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7ab5ced6-8d1e-4d59-a06b-9dc7d8125a83 (scored 0) - Mike Moraitis on Luther Burden III: Moraitis 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0c3a5459-cd09-406c-9ee5-b3efb46171e1 (scored 100) - Jerry Markarian on Jordan van den Berg: Markarian 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/65773f49-32e0-4b30-8a92-d10c38d51294 (scored 100) - Pete Martuneac on Skyler Thomas: Martuneac 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e361d74d-6958-4eca-8146-4999bb2eb081 (scored 0) - Jerry Markarian on Theo Benedet: Markarian 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5fb7220c-3e35-46fd-898a-ec8892287d94 (scored 100) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Pat Fitzmaurice on Aaron Jones: In previewing the 10 most intriguing fantasy performers of Week 2, Fitzmaurice expects Atlanta's quarterback problems to persist with Tua Tagovailoa unlikely to play and Michael Penix Jr. not ready to return, flags Falcons slot corner Billy Bowman Jr. as a possible Week 2 returnee, and describes Aaron Jones as Minnesota's lead back and Kaelon Black as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/31adc8bb-8f15-453f-bbcf-cab44e29b8b3 (scored 100) - Matt Severance on Deshaun Watson: The 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/944568ce-7205-409f-8354-a392016fd8bf (scored 100) - Rafael Zamorano on Deshaun Watson: Zamorano reports Watson will start Week 2 at Tampa Bay and suggests there's little reason to expect improvement, raising the possibility Watson's five-year contract never yields more than single-digit wins. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d7d7e0a2-61e0-4525-970b-b01a2356f11b (scored 100) - Rich Hribar on Tua Tagovailoa: Hribar expects Tua Tagovailoa to be Atlanta's starting quarterback for Week 2 while Michael Penix stays out, with Penix's return closer to Week 4. He is unenthusiastic about the Falcons' offense either way and treats Bryce Young as a fringe fantasy starter. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/124ac755-a942-4382-8bad-177da7f8170d (scored 0) - Bradley Locker on Carson Wentz: PFF'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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a3716f21-0488-4fc8-a414-c25c2d781a6e (scored 100) - Tyler Sullivan on Michael Penix Jr.: In 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1000d8d0-5de1-405e-b8ce-255cde75a32d (scored 0) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=gene-chamberlain