Grading the signing of All-Pro Devin Duvernay |
Dustin Riese
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- 1 day ago
Over the past few days, it has been reported that the Chicago Bears have been working out wide receivers to further bolster their receiver room. While guys like Rondale Moore and the then-unsigned Mecole Hardman would instantly take over the team's No. 3 role, a different name wound up inking a contract with the Bears, as he will be in the Windy City for 2025.
All-Pro return man Devin Duvernay and the Bears have come together on a one-year deal after spending last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 27-year-old Duvernay has 72 games of playing experience with the Baltimore Ravens (2020-23) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2024). In those games, he has logged 105 catches, 977 receiving yards, and scored five touchdowns. Last season saw him take on an even lesser role in the Jaguars offense as he came away with just 11 receptions for 79 yards and no scores. Those numbers came across 13 games, as he was seldom used on the offensive side of the ball. However, the offensive side of things isn't what Duvernay is known for, but instead he is one of the best return men in the game and has earned All-Pro honors twice in his career for his returning skills. That alone is intriguing for the Bears, as he will most likely be taking over the return duties for the Bears in 2025 and could see an increased role on offense as the team's No. 4 wide receiver. Getting away from his offensive numbers and diving into the special team's side, it's abundantly clear why he has earned multiple all-pro honors as a return man. Granted, those honors came during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, but his success has gone way beyond those seasons. His 12.0 yards per punt return rank No. 1 among active players. Duvernay has also logged a 24.9 yards per kick return across his career, which ranks him in the top 10 for that category. Last season was a down year for Duvernay as a punt returner, getting just 167 yards (8.8 yards/return) on 19 punt return tries. But as a kick returner, Duvernay had his best season since 2022, averaging 25.1 yards per return (14 returns, 600 yards). The new kick-off rule helped Duvernay see an increase in his average, and it will be interesting to see what he can do this season behind a new unit of blockers. With Duvernay now in Chicago and the Olamide Zaccheaus pickup, Chicago has prioritized the speed factor at the wide receiver position and will add plenty of speed to pair with Rome Odunze and DJ Moore. Even if Duvernay and Zaccheaus don't have the same type of role on the offensive side of the ball as Moore and Odunze would, it will be interesting to see how Ben Johnson uses them and what they can do for this team. Typically, adding a return man wouldn't excite you much, but Duvernay is one of the best to do it and still has the potential to be one of the best in the league. He can also give you some much-needed snaps on the offensive end when you have additional weapons, and that is something the Bears didn't have enough apart from their top three receiver options in 2024. Grade of Duvernay's signing: B As mentioned, adding a return man here and there will never excite most fans, but when you add one as skilled as Duvernay, there is far more excitement that comes with it. In an era where the return game has all but died, Duvernay is one of the rare players who has benefitted from the new return role, as he has been able to run more kicks back in the past. The more that happens, the more likely he will be to break one to the house, which is bad for the Bears opponents. Special teams are often the most overlooked position in the NFL, but so many games are won and lost due to a lack of Special Teams. Not only do the Bears have elite special teams in Cairo Santos and Tory Taylor, but now they have an elite return man who can make this unit the top special teams unit in the game.
