It took Zavion Thomas exactly one play to make the Chicago Bears‘ draft “reach” for him in the third round feel like an absolute steal.
On Chicago’s first offensive snap Saturday, Thomas broke a Titan DBs angles on a double move, caught a pass from Tyson Bagent then turned on the jets for the 97 yard touchdown in his NFL preseason debut.
And he wasn’t finished – Thomas added a 39 yard punt return and finished the first half with five catches for 140 yards and a touchdown before sitting out the rest of the game.
For a player some projected as a seventh round pick and others compared to former Bears bust Velus Jones Jr., Saturday was about as good of an introduction as you could ask for.
Now Bears fans are starting to dream about what Thomas could become, especially when you consider the former Bear he has already studied: Devin Hester.
Thomas’ speed is very real
The former LSU receiver ran a ridiculous 4.28 second 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine, and Chicago’s coaching staff had already seen that speed translate.
Ben Johnson even said in June that Zavion Thomas was making a play almost every day that showed the Bears could have “a big weapon” if they could harness his speed and get him comfortable within the offense. Saturday was the first time Chicago Bears fans got to see it in an actual game.
The 97 yard touchdown was exactly the type of play that makes a player with Thomas’ skill set so intriguing. He didn’t simply outrun a defender after making a catch. Rather he created separation with his route, made the catch deep in his own territory and then left everyone behind.
There was a moment when Thomas actually had to slow down to secure the ball. Once he had it, though, nobody was catching him. Then he showed that same burst on the punt return.
The Bears may have another weapon on their hands
Now there was always going to be some uncertainty surrounding Zavion Thomas’ role as a rookie.
The Chicago Bears already have plenty of competition at wide receiver, with Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Kalif Raymond and Jahdae Walker among the players fighting for opportunities. Thomas wasn’t drafted to sit around and wait for injuries to create a path onto the field. But his speed, along with the special teams element, gives Ben Johnson something different.
There’s also a reason the Devin Hester comparison has already started popping up around Chicago. Thomas has said Hester is the greatest returner ever and that he studies his film. He obviously has a very long way to go before anyone should seriously put him in the same conversation, but the raw speed and return ability are easy to see.
Saturday gave Chicago a pretty exciting answer to the most obvious question: What happens when Zavion Thomas gets the ball in space? Apparently, very good things.
The Chicago Bears don’t need Zavion Thomas to become Devin Hester or turn every touch into a 97 yard touchdown. They just need to find ways to get that 4.28 speed onto the field.
After what happened against Tennessee, it would be pretty surprising if Ben Johnson wasn’t already thinking about how to do exactly that.
Zavion Thomas Just Gave Bears Fans a Reason to Dream