Ray-Ray McCloud III Signs With Bears: What Chicago Added

Football Nation
Aug 11
3 min read

Updated: Aug 12

The Chicago Bears added veteran receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III on August 10, a practical late camp move that gives Ben Johnson another experienced speed and return option. The team’s communications department announced the signing and said Chicago waived receiver Kyron Hudson with an injury designation.

McCloud does not arrive as an automatic starter. He arrives as a proven NFL player who can compete for a defined role while the Bears manage a crowded receiver room and prepare for the regular season. His résumé suggests utility on offense and special teams, but his path to weekly targets will depend on how quickly he learns the system and separates from the other depth options.

What Chicago added in Ray-Ray McCloud

McCloud has played 100 regular season games with 26 starts since entering the league in 2018. NFL statistics list 159 receptions for 1,523 yards and two receiving touchdowns, plus 271 rushing yards and one score on 25 carries. His best receiving season came with Atlanta in 2024, when he started 13 games and set career highs with 62 catches and 686 yards.

The 2025 season was quieter. McCloud appeared in four games for the Falcons and two for the Giants, finishing with seven catches for 69 yards. That recent production is a reminder that Chicago is buying experience and competition, not assuming a return to his 2024 volume.

How McCloud fits the Bears receiver room

Chicago’s top receiving priorities are already clear. Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III are central pieces around Caleb Williams, while Kalif Raymond and rookie Zavion Thomas bring speed and return value. McCloud enters that mix as another receiver who can line up inside, handle manufactured touches and contribute in the return game.

The timing matters because Luther Burden III is expected to miss the preseason. That does not change Burden’s long term importance, but it creates more August practice and preseason reps for the receivers behind him. McCloud now has an immediate opportunity to show that he can absorb the offense quickly and give Williams a dependable short area target.

Chicago has also seen encouraging timing between its quarterback and primary targets. The recent Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze toe tap touchdown showed the kind of precision the offense wants. McCloud’s challenge is to prove he can support that identity without needing a large target share.

The special teams question

McCloud’s return background could be his fastest route to the active game day roster, but Chicago already has accomplished competition there. Raymond is a two time second team All Pro punt returner, and Thomas entered the league with extensive college return production. McCloud therefore needs to offer more than a familiar name. Ball security, decision making and coverage unit value will matter alongside explosiveness.

That competition can help the offense, too. A receiver who earns a uniform through special teams can become useful when injuries or game plans change. The Bears do not need McCloud to displace Odunze or Burden. They need him to show that he can handle several jobs without forcing the coaching staff to narrow the weekly call sheet.

Football Nation analysis: a floor raising move

Football Nation analysis: this signing raises the floor of Chicago’s receiver depth more than it raises the ceiling of the starting offense. McCloud has enough experience to step into a camp practice, understand spacing and compete against NFL coverage. His 2024 season also shows that he can produce when a team gives him regular routes.

The ceiling still belongs to Williams and the young core. Our Caleb Williams 2026 outlook explains why accuracy and command are the decisive variables for Chicago. McCloud can help by creating easy completions, carrying motion and turning short catches into useful gains. He cannot solve the offense by himself.

There is also no reason to overstate Hudson’s injury designation. The Bears announced the roster mechanism but did not provide a public diagnosis in the move. Earlier coverage of Burden leaving practice showed why confirmed details and later updates must remain separate. The same standard applies here.

What to watch next

Practice alignment: slot work would offer McCloud a clearer path than competing only outside.
Preseason routes: snaps with Williams or the primary reserve quarterback will reveal how quickly trust is building.
Return assignments: Chicago’s choice at punt and kickoff returner could determine the final receiver spots.
Third down usage: a reliable option on choice routes would give McCloud a specialized offensive role.

Bottom line

Ray-Ray McCloud gives the Bears an experienced, versatile competitor at the right point in camp. The signing is not evidence that Chicago has reordered its starting receiver hierarchy. It is evidence that the team wants more speed, return experience and professional depth while important preseason roles remain unsettled. McCloud now has to turn that opportunity into routes, special teams snaps and a roster spot.