How should the Chicago Bears address tight ends in free agency and the draft?
The Chicago Bears are going to have to address the tight end position this offseason. As things currently stand, the team has Cole Kmet locked down, and they have Stephen Carlson signed, but those are the only two names on the roster. In a perfect world, Carlson would be on the practice squad, so they need to add a couple of tight ends to round out the room.
How should the Chicago Bears address tight ends in free agency and the draft?
The Bears are in an interesting spot. They have the starting tight end; they have the lowest depth at tight end, and they need to fill in the middle. The Bears will be losing both Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis this offseason, and the odds are that neither one will come back.
With Tonyan, they had a pass-catching option that was not worth much as a blocker. In Lewis, it was a block-first option who was not going to do much of anything as a pass catcher. Do the Chicago Bears look for two specific tight ends in their specific roles, just like last year? Or do they realize this did not work because Lewis gave away run plays, and Tonyan gave away the pass?
So, the best move would be to add two somewhat versatile tight ends or at least try to get a better blocker than Robert Tonyan. The next question is whether they draft or go through free agency to add one.
As noted, they are not looking for a high-end starter or even a developmental player. They need someone who can get on the field next year as a backup to Cole Kmet. So, the draft is more about swinging for potential and hoping for future success. They need to go right back to free agency to fill this need.
Next. Grading the 2023 Chicago Bears rookie class after their first regular season. Grading the 2023 Chicago Bears rookie class after their first regular season. dark
Will the Chicago Bears sign two tight ends, just like last offseason? Luke Getsy added two Packers tight ends, and with Colby Parkinson and Noah Fant, the Seahawks now have two free-agent tight ends who once worked with Shane Waldron.
It is hard to see the Chicago Bears drafting a tight end, so the question is, which type of free agent do they sign this offseason?