Chicago Bears: Comparing the 2019 tight end situation to 2020

2020 Tight End Preview

After the disastrous 2019 season, the Bears completely changed the core starters for the 2020 season adding players through free agency and the draft.

Expected Camp Depth Chart:

‘Y’

1. Demetrius Harris
2. Cole Kmet
3. J.P. Holtz
4. Adam Shaheen
5. Eric Saubert

‘U’

1. Jimmy Graham
2. Cole Kmet
3. Jesper Horsted
4. Darion Clark

Yes, Cole Kmet is on here twice as he is likely to learn both positions according to Matt Nagy.

The Bears revamped tight end group looks like a massive improvement from the 2019 NFL season. Harris has years of success in that role for the Chiefs and veteran Jimmy Graham is an upgrade over the oft-injured Burton. Kmet can also likely do both ‘Y’ and ‘U’ well if either tight end goes down to injury.

Obviously all eight of these players will not be on the roster come season time as some need to be cut, but they still all are contending essentially for one or two spots (depending on how the Bears do that).

With this revamped group, I expect the Chicago Bears to run more 12 and 22 personnel more than even their 2018 season. In 2018, they ran 12 personnel tied for the 13th-highest rate in the NFL with Braunecker and Shaheen as the ‘Y’. With Harris there, I expect them to be a top 8 team in terms of 12 personnel running it at least 20 percent of the time.

In 2018, they ran 22 personnel at a low rate of 2 percent, but I expect that to be higher as well around a rate of 5 percent since they have two good receiving backs now as well. They should be near the top 8 teams in this as well.

Conclusion:

The Bears tight end group is a massive improvement from the 2019 season, especially at the top. With this new upgraded group, we should see a significant boost to the offense as a whole as well.