Ben Braunecker may make Chicago Bears roster by default

The Chicago Bears are starting to get very thin at tight end. It is going to make Ben Braunecker a valued commodity

The key to the Chicago Bears fifth preseason game was to get out healthy. They did not, as Kasim Edebali and Daniel Brown left the game with differing injuries. Brown left the game with a shoulder injury and was seen after the game in a sling.

The injury to Brown is bad news for the Chicago Bears considering where their depth is at tight end. Adam Shaheen is going to miss some time with a foot and ankle injury. The Chicago Bears have been adamant that he is not an IR candidate. However, all that means is that he will not miss the first eight weeks.

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Now, with Daniel Brown in a sling, two of the Chicago Bears top four tight ends could be inactive for the season opener at Green Bay. That is not necessarily ideal. This is especially true when you consider when Matt Nagy has been preaching in regards to the tight end position this summer.

He wanted three tight ends on the field. He thought that the mismatch advantages of that look was worthwhile. Now, he has Dion Sims, Trey Burton, and a question mark behind that,

This is where Ben Braunecker comes in. Braunecker has not set the world on fire in the preseason. However, he is a more proven blocker than Daniel Brown. That is arguably the most significant thing that the team will miss from Shaheen. To get that back from Braunecker is worthwhile.

It was probably not in the Chicago Bears intentions to keep five tight ends when they headed to training camp a month ago. However, until they can feel comfortable about the health status of either Brown or Shaheen, they are likely going to have to keep five for the time being.

Ben Braunecker may not have done anything to keep a roster spot, but he could very well have seen one get tossed his way on Thursday night.

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