The questions OTAs could answer for Chicago Bears at receiver

Considering it's the first year in Ben Johnson's offense, anticipate voluntary means voluntarily available for almost everyone.

The look at veterans won't be as revealing because so many of the questions for them revolve around usage, play reps and personnel package. It will take a game before that's known.

The look at the rookies will be big as they have a good idea what the veterans can do based on the past, even if it was in a different offense.  

"I think trying to give them a lot, see what they can handle," Doyle said about Burden and Loveland. "Rather than, narrowly, you're going to be doing this, and we're going to pigeonhole you, we're going to ask you to do a number of things, and we're going to see if you're good at it, and if you are, then I think that that can be something that we can add to our repertoire."

Here are the questions the Bears could find answers to about receivers, wideouts and the tight ends, at this week's OTAs.

1. Luther Burden III's Processing Speed

There is learning an offense for all rookies but then there is knowing this and playing at full speed and applying what they're learning about the offense against specific defenses.

There is now question about Burden's athletic ability in the mind of the Bears' staff.

"He's an explosive athlete. He's really exciting," Doyle said. "His tape was really impressive in college. He's a playmaker.

"I think, when the ball was in his hands, he was one of the best guys that we evaluated in this process."

How quickly he adjusts with routes against coverages on the fly will be critical.

"I think it's the same way you guide any of these guys that are new rookies that are kind of getting indoctrinated," Doyle said. "He has to learn the system first, and he has to learn our way of doing things.

"But, like any of these guys, it takes all of us to help each and every one of them. That's really going to be the biggest thing."

If they find Burden can process the offense and adjustments in routes as fast he plays on film, then they could get a maximum contribution from his as a rookie slot receiver.

2. Colston Loveland's Shoulder

To what degree is Loveland's surgically repaired shoulder still holding him back.

At the rookie camp he still was being held out to some extent, although he did get on the field for some play reps against air, and did individual skills work.

Stepping up this week to work in against coverage in non-contact work might be more risk than they want to take at this point, but he seemed ready and willing to get more involved during rookie camp.

3. Loveland's Processing Speed

Ben Johnson already said tight end is the second-most complicated position for his offense, right after the quarterback. Loveland will need to learn at a rapid rate, like Burden, but might be tested even more because of the volume of tougher assignments for the tight ends.

"For tight ends, that is a challenging position to be able to pick up because you are involved in run game, protection, pass game," Doyle said. "We're giving these guys kind of a bite-sized piece of what we're going to give the veterans here, but really not skipping any steps.

"It's no different than how we're handling (QB) Caleb (Williams) and the quarterback position, making sure that he feels comfortable with how we're going to communicate, where he's going to line up, what his thought process is at the line of scrimmage, where his eyes need to go, all of the intricate details of our offense."

4. The Slot Question

The assumption is Odunze automatically is on the field in 12-personnel with Moore but it could be they want more of a true slot than the bigger receiver on the field with Moore in those case. This isn't clear, but it will be interesting to see how much Odunze lines up inside or if they let Moore do it, too, or if it's specifically set aside for Burden and veterans Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay.

5. The On-Field Speed Increase

The goal with veterans, as well as rookies, was to increase team offensive speed. Bringing in Duvernay and  Zaccheaus upped the speed at the slot position over what it was when they had Keenan Allen. Zaccheaus ran 4.49, Duvernay 4.40 and Burden 4.41 when they were combine or pro day participants and all three, to some extent, rely greatly on their speed.

Allen got open with a veteran's knowledge of how to beat defenses and skillful route running. It will be interesting to see the contrast, with raw speed and a rookie skill set entered into the equation.

6. The Competitive Position

Wide receiver could be the most competitive position on the roster. The scope of that competition will be more apparent at OTAs.

Veteran acquisition Miles Boykin has NFL experience, Maurice Alexander has experience in Johnson's offense and Tyler Scott will be battling for a job after he was a fourth-round draft pick in 2023. That's in addition to Moore, Odunze, Burden, Zaccheaus and Duvernay.

They also added undrafted rookies and have holdovers like Samori Toure and John Jackson.

7. What Cole Kmet Thinks

The Bears tight end will be heard from at some point in OTAs, whether this Wednesday, the following Wednesday or mandatory minicamp after that. He hasn't spoken with the media, in general, since the Bears drafted a tight end in Round 1.

It will be interesting to hear what he thinks about an expected drop in target share with Loveland playing the move-tight end spot. Many people don't realize the difference in those positions. It's like different positions even though they both say TE on the roster. But sometimes they play only one and who it would be will depend on Johnson's preferences in the attack at the time.