The 2016 NFL Draft is officially over and the Bears have moved on to targeting undrafted free agents. I will be breaking down the entire UDFA class once it’s complete, but the Bears first signing was just announced and it’s worthy of it’s own post.
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I posted my best available undrafted free agents shortly after the draft and most of them have already signed with other teams, but the Bears were able to sign the #2 player on my list, Harvard TE Ben Braunecker. The Bears badly needed some depth at tight end and they got one that I had a 4th-5th round grade on.
Braunecker came out of nowhere last season to dominate the Ivy League with 850 receiving yards (17.7 ypc) and eight touchdowns. He was good size (6’3, 250) and was a tough, effective blocker, but it’s his speed (4.73), athleticism, and receiving ability that stands out.
At the combine Braunecker competed in seven events and finished in the top five among tight ends in all seven. His combine numbers put to rest any doubts about his athleticism and even drew comparisons to what Rob Gronkowski did at his pro day in Arizona. Gronk has a few inches of height on Braunecker, but their numbers match up pretty well. They are close enough that Braunecker was even given a new nickname, Bronk.
It’s a big leap from the Ivy League to the NFL, but Braunecker has the athleticism to play in the NFL, the willingness to block, and the receiving skills to be a weapon in the passing game. It might not happen in 2016, but Braunecker has the potential to be a solid starter at tight end in the near future.