BOURBONNAIS, Ill. (AP) — A couple of overlooked receivers are emerging as threats for the Chicago Bears and new quarterback Jay Cutler.

The Bears never pursued a veteran free agent for the position, instead hoping Cutler’s passing ability would make existing receivers better. So far, it seems to have worked — Cutler has been regularly finding Devin Aromashodu and Brandon Rideau in practice.

“Both of those guys have great size, speed and they’re making plays each day,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said. “Going into camp we were going to give some of our younger receivers an opportunity to prove what they can do.”

Aromashodu has been waived three times and twice has been signed by teams off practice squads, while Rideau has been cut four times, including twice by the Bears.

“There are a lot of guys who get cut out of this league because they run out of time, not because they don’t have the talent to play,” Bears wide receivers coach Darryl Drake said. “Hopefully this is to our benefit that we’ve got some guys that have been around and probably weren’t quite ready to play early in their career.”

Aromashodu is 6-foot-2, 201 pounds and was drafted in the seventh round by Miami in 2006 but cut. He was on the Colts’ practice squad and helped prepare the defense to face the Bears in the 2007 Super Bowl but never got a chance to move up because the Colts had Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison.

“I was there two years, so I definitely learned an awful lot from Marvin and from Reggie and those guys,” Aromashodu said. “That experience is helping me right now.

“I had no problem sitting and learning from those guys.”

He also was on practice squads with Houston and Washington before the Bears signed him to their 53-man roster off the Redskins’ practice squad last December. Aromashodu was originally drafted by Miami with a seventh-round pick the Bears traded to the Dolphins.

Now he’s playing well enough that he caught the attention of Cutler, who commented to offensive coordinator Ron Turner that he liked what he saw in Aromashodu. That led to more first-team plays for the former Auburn player.

“He’s a big target, he’s long,” Cutler said. “He’s got some good top-end speed. I think D.A.’s coming along really well. He’s making some flashes out there.”

While Aromashodu has seven regular-season catches and a playoff catch to his credit with Indianapolis, the 6-3, 198-pound Rideau has never made a regular-season reception.

“It’s another year in the system so I’m a little more comfortable with it,” Rideau said. “I did a little bit of training in the off-season to help myself get a little bit more physically ready, and I think that’s what’s helping me out this camp.”

Both players say Cutler’s arm strength has been an immense help.

“I feel like he’ll find you if you get open, and he’ll give you a chance if he believes in you,” Rideau said. “So right now I guess he’s feeling like I can make a couple plays so he wants to come at me.”

Smith isn’t completely sold on the situation yet. He pointed out his own defensive secondary has struggled in practice against receivers, in part, because of injuries at cornerback.

Going against Buffalo in Saturday’s preseason game will be big for the receivers.

“It’s going to be huge for the whole group — all of them,” Drake said. “You’re going against other people.”

NOTE: Free agent long snapper J.J. Milan signed with the Bears after regular long snapper Patrick Mannelly suffered a hip injury which isn’t regarded as serious.