Bear Digest

Chicago Bears sign another Devin to be their return man

Former Ravens and Jaguars return man Devin Duvernay has agreed to a one-year deal with the Bears and brings a possible speed factor to the passing game as well.

Gene Chamberlain

Devin Duvernay cuts to the sidelines after shaking a tackle for Jacksonville last season.
Devin Duvernay cuts to the sidelines after shaking a tackle for Jacksonville last season. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
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The Bears have another Devin as their return man, an All-Pro just like the orginal.

They added to their speed factor in the kick return game and possibly even wide receiver Wednesday by signing former Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars return man Devin Duvernay for one year, according to a report by Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz.



Duvernay, 27, is not quite the player Devin Hester was but has made a big impact on special teams in the league. He also has made an impact at times at wide receiver, although not to the extent a healthy Rondale Moore would have. The Bears had brought Moore earlier this week.

Duvernay has been a better return man than Moore because of his strength-speed combination and size. Duvernay's 40 time coming into the NFL was 4.39 seconds. Moore later Wednesday signed a deal with the Vikings, the first team he visited with earlier this week.

In his second and third seasons, 2021 and 2022, Duvernay made the Pro Bowl a a return man

Duvernay made All-Pro first team as the return man with a league-leading 13.8-yard average on punt returns and in five seasons he has an outstanding 12.0-yard average for 88 punt returns. His average for 87 kick returns is 24.9 yards with two taken back for touchdowns.



A 5-foot-11, 202-pound receiver, Duvernay was a third-round pick by the Ravens in 2020.

His effectiveness in the passing game showed up in his first three seasons with the Ravens, as he had 37 catches for 407 yards in 2022, 33 for 272 yards in 2021 and 20 for 201 as a rookie. His career average as a receiver per catch is higher than Moore's at 9.3 yards and he has been a better return man on kicks and punts than Moore.


Duvernay had a lost season of sorts in 2024 after he joined Jacksonville as a free agent as he wound up on injured reserve after a hamstring injury in Week 5 against the Colts.

Duvernay has had injury issues at times, but nothing severe. He had back and hamstring injuries in 2023 and a hamstring in 2022.


It's possible the new kick return rule doesn't exactly Duvernay's style, or perhaps Jacksonville's return teams didn't supply proper blocking as his kick return average of 25.1 yards was only 22nd for return men with at least 13 returns. His punt return averaged nosedived, as well, at 8.8 a return. DeAndre Carter averaged 9.3 yards on punt returns for the Bears last year.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.