Bears wide receiver the NFL forgot to draft continues to stack big plays in training camp heading into first preseason game

When asked how much the rookie has been impressing, head coach Ben Johnson responded with "quite a bit" while speaking to reporters after practice.

"He was someone that I gave some flowers to a couple days ago after practice and naturally, when you do that, the next day they let you down a little bit. That happened, but he bounces right back," Johnson explained.

A big reason why Richardson has been able to bounce-back and continue turning heads on the practice field is due to his process and understanding of the playbook, which is rare thing for any rookie in this offense, as we've seen throughout camp thus far.

"JP is a guy that has come in here and been very intentional about learning the playbook," offensive coordinator Declan Doyle said. "The first thing is always, 'Do you know what to do?' And at that point in time, you kind of unlock your ability to show off your ability. He's done a really good job of coming in and learning it. He's an athletic guy. He has a little bit of twitch to him in the route tree and through the first three days, it's been fun to see."

In an interview with ChicagoBears.com, Richardson noted that he's "good enough to be on this team" and "would die to be on this team" which is exactly the kind of mindset every player needs to show in camp while fighting for a spot on the 53-man roster.

This weekend, the Bears will host the first preseason game against the Miami Dolphins, a massive opportunity for the rookie pass catcher to show what he can do against another defense with the bright lights on, and his established connection with Bagent and Case Keenum can go a long way.

What JP Richardson can look to showcase on Sunday

Looking back at the 2025 NFL Draft, Richardson watched as 32 wide receivers were selected, including two of his former teammates in Jack Bech and Savion Williams.

Coming off a season in which he posted career-highs in receptions (57) and yards (733), Richardson naturally felt disappointed in not hearing his name called and that reality added even more motivation to show why he belongs on an NFL roster.

Offensively, that will come from being a reliable option out of the slot for his quarterback and attacking the middle of the field, much like he's been doing during training camp. But, in order to earn a final roster spot at the position, you need to show out in more ways than one.

Special teams is where Richardson can really look to prove himself on Sunday against the Dolphins. At TCU, Richardson made some big plays as a returner but also has experience as a gunner and on kickoff coverage. He's not afraid to "go hit somebody in the mouth" and that kind of mindset can really impress the coaching staff if he shows it off in a live game setting.