Kalif Raymond set for Bears move on one-year deal as Lions tenure ends
kalif raymond is signing with the Chicago Bears, shifting from the Detroit Lions to an NFC North rival as free agency movement accelerates. The agreement is described as a one-year, $5. 1 million deal reached Tuesday, with a signing expected when contracts can be finalized Wednesday. The move keeps kalif raymond in the division after several seasons in Detroit, where he played as a depth wide receiver and a primary return option on special teams.
Deal terms and timing for Kalif Raymond
The Bears and kalif raymond have an agreement on a one-year, $5. 1 million contract, with the deal reached Tuesday and the signing expected Wednesday when contracts can be finalized. No additional contract details were provided beyond the length and total value.
The Bears’ interest comes as they look for wide receivers to compete behind Rome Odunze and Luther Burden this season. In the current depth picture described, kalif raymond and Jahdae Walker are next in line after Odunze and Burden.
What the Bears are getting: receiver depth and return value
In Detroit, kalif raymond was used for versatility: depth work at wide receiver and significant contributions as a return specialist. During the 2025 season with the Lions, he produced 24 catches for 289 yards and a touchdown, while continuing to return punts and kickoffs. He also logged a punt return touchdown last season and has three punt return touchdowns across his career.
Detroit’s usage helped build his reputation as a reliable veteran presence and dynamic return option. He joined the Lions in 2021 and became known for speed, playmaking energy, and spark plays—whether aligned in the slot or returning punts—while remaining primarily a special teams factor.
Why this move matters inside the NFC North
This is a direct intra-division move: kalif raymond leaves Detroit for Chicago, meaning the Lions will now face him twice each year as a division opponent. His departure also adds to an early-free-agency list of Lions players moving on that includes Alex Anzalone, Amik Robertson, Roy Lopez, and Kyle Allen.
There is also a coaching connection noted: kalif raymond overlapped with Bears coach Ben Johnson from 2021 through 2024 while Johnson was with the Lions. Over those four seasons together, kalif raymond totaled 147 receptions, 1, 896 yards, and seven touchdowns.
What’s next
The next checkpoint is the expected signing Wednesday when contracts can be finalized, at which point kalif raymond would formally join a Bears receiver group seeking competition and added special teams value. From there, attention turns to how Chicago deploys him behind its top receivers, and to the first Lions-Bears matchups where kalif raymond will face his former team as a familiar weapon now wearing a rival’s colors.
