The Chicago Bears are adding another candidate for their return specialist job to the mix before kicking off their 2026 NFL training camp in about five weeks.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bears are signing former Cleveland Browns wide receiver and return specialist Kaden Davis to a one-year contract for the 2026 season, bringing him in as the 11th wide receiver on their 90-man offseason roster.
Davis has played just three NFL games since coming into the league undrafted in 2022 and has yet to secure his first career reception, but he was efficient as a kick returner in those appearances for the Browns, averaging 33.75 return yards on four kickoff returns.
Most recently, Davis played in the UFL for the Houston Gamblers, catching four of his five targets for 32 yards. He also maintained his reputation as an efficient kick returner, fielding 10 kickoffs for 275 total return yards (27.5 yards per return) in just five games.
The Bears officially announced Davis’ signing in the afternoon on Tuesday, June 16.
Will Kaden Davis Push Scotty Miller for Roster Spot?
Davis might not be a needle-moving addition for the Bears’ 2026 receiver room, given his lack of experience on offense, but he may just have the speed and skills as a return specialist to push veteran Scotty Miller — who signed in May — off the 53-man roster.
The Bears did not re-sign veteran wide receiver Devin Duvernay before the start of NFL free agency in the spring, allowing their top return specialist to walk away and sign a new deal with the Arizona Cardinals for the 2026 season. Instead, they have opted to add new faces — such as Miller and veteran Kalif Raymond — to compete for the job.
In terms of experience, Raymond towers over both Miller and Davis. He has fielded 188 punts and 62 kickoffs over his 10-year career, earning second-team All-Pro recognition in both 2022 and 2024 with the Detroit Lions while Ben Johnson was on their staff. Even if he begins the season as the Bears’ No. 3 wide receiver, a return role seems likely.
Even still, the Bears will need multiple return specialists and could stage a competition between Miller, Davis and cornerback Josh Blackwell to find their No. 2 option in 2026.
Bears Announce 3 Other Roster Moves With Davis’ Signing
The Bears also made a series of other roster moves along with signing Davis on June 16.
According to the team’s official transaction wire, the Bears also signed linebacker Tony Fields II — another former Browns player and 2026 UFL standout — and waived both linebacker Dominique Hampton and undrafted rookie kicker Gabriel Plascencia in a pair of corresponding roster moves on Tuesday that kept them at the 90-man limit.
Hampton, a 2024 fifth-round pick for the Washington Commanders, spent time on the Bears’ practice squad last season while they were dealing with multiple injuries to their linebacker corps, but he did not appear in any games for them. With Fields joining an already crowded position group in Chicago, Hampton’s departure makes logical sense.
Meanwhile, the Bears trimmed their kicker room back down to one player after what could hardly be defined as a kicking competition over the past several weeks of OTAs. Veteran Cairo Santos is now the only placekicker on the Bears’ roster; however, Chicago may seek out another before camp to divvy up the practice reps over the summer.
Bears Sign Ex-Browns Wide Receiver & Returner to 1-Year Deal