The Chicago Bears already drafted the players who will absorb the majority of the production the offense lost by trading DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills, but filling out the depth in the wide receiver room is a task perhaps yet unfinished.
Chicago does not have much money to spend at the back end of the position group, though there are some accomplished veteran options available at, or near, the league minimum. Among them is Tyler Lockett, a three-time All-Pro with the Seattle Seahawks.
Lockett spent 10 years in Seattle before departing the organization for Tennessee and a $4 million contract in 2025. He played seven games for the Titans before his release, catching on with the Las Vegas Raiders for the final 10 contests of the campaign at the cost of $1.25 million.
Spotrac projects Lockett’s market value at $1.7 million in 2026. Chicago has just shy of $10.8 million in salary cap space as of Sunday, May 3.
Tyler Lockett Should Be Available for Less Than $2 Million Next Season
GettyFormer Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett.
Four times a 1,000-yard pass-catcher in the NFL, Lockett will play next season at 34 years old (assuming he finds a home) after producing just 32 catches for 291 yards and one score in 2025.
He is more of a veteran locker room presence at this point in his career, and not a player from whom Chicago could necessarily expect big contributions of any kind. That said, what Lockett can give the Bears might be what a young WR group led by Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III needs most.
“The #Bears could use a veteran WR to compete for a roster spot with their thin depth,” Jacob Infante on WCG contended over the weekend.
Kalif Raymond, most recently of the Detroit Lions, is the apparent frontrunner for the WR3 spot now based on the current depth chart. He inked on a one-year deal for $3.5 million this offseason coming off a campaign defined by 24 receptions for 289 yards and one TD.
Also on the roster are Jahdae Walker, an undrafted rookie last year, and third-round rookie Zavion Thomas out of LSU.
Keenan Allen Reunion Potential Path for Bears to Improve WR Room in 2026
GettyFormer Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen.
A bigger swing at WR3 the Bears could pursue involves a reunion with Keenan Allen, a six-time Pro Bowler who played a season in Chicago back in 2024.
Allen played for just $3 million from the Los Angeles Chargers last year after putting up 70 receptions and 744 yards for the Bears to go along with a team-leading seven receiving touchdowns two campaigns ago.
Chicago would almost certainly need to spend more to lure Allen out of Southern California than it would to bring Lockett into the locker room, though there has been no publicized offer yet from the Chargers to Allen to return for his 14th professional season.
The Bears have more pressing needs from a personnel standpoint, namely along the defensive line at the pass-rusher and tackle positions. That said, dropping a few million to round out what should be a strong group of youthful talent at the skill positions with an established veteran has some merit, as Chicago looks to repeat as NFC North Division champions in 2026.
Bears Landing Spot for 3-Time All-Pro WR as DJ Moore Replacement