Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has struggled in his first two NFL games, looking unsettled and uncomfortable under center. To help turn things around, the Bears have made a move aimed at bolstering their receiving corps.
On Thursday, the Bears signed wide receiver John Jackson III to the practice squad. Jackson, who was a teammate of Williams at the University of Southern California (USC) in 2022, played with him during Williams’ Heisman Trophy-winning season. Jackson spent four years at USC from 2019 to 2022, though he saw limited playing time, registering just five catches for 42 yards. In 2023, he transferred to Nevada, where he became more involved, finishing with 35 receptions for 267 yards.
Although Jackson went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, he signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent. However, he was waived in late August when the team reduced its roster to 53 players. Now back on the practice squad, Jackson joins the team amid injury concerns at the wide receiver position.
Two of Chicago’s starting wideouts, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze, are dealing with injuries heading into Week 3. Allen missed the second game of the season with a heel issue that has lingered since the end of the preseason, while Odunze played in Week 2 despite a knee injury but was limited in practice on Wednesday. Allen, meanwhile, did not practice at all.
Chicago’s offense has struggled significantly through the first two weeks, ranking near the bottom of the league in multiple categories. The Bears are 31st in total passing yards with just 267, ahead only of the Carolina Panthers, who recently benched quarterback Bryce Young after 18 NFL starts. The Bears are also one of four teams without a passing touchdown so far this season. Williams has completed only 56.1 percent of his passes, with two interceptions, and has been sacked nine times—tied for the most in the NFL.
The team’s run game hasn’t been much better, ranking 28th in rushing yards with just 155 through two games. With both the air and ground attack sputtering, the Bears desperately need to get Williams on track as the season progresses.
Aside from Allen and Odunze, Chicago’s other active receivers include D.J. Moore, DeAndre Carter, and Tyler Scott. Jackson now joins a practice squad that already features wide receivers Collin Johnson and Samori Toure.
The Bears’ defense has been the bright spot, keeping them competitive in the early stages of the season. Now, as the offense looks to improve, Williams and the Bears will aim to find a breakthrough when they face the 0-2 Indianapolis Colts this Sunday.
