In this 12-part series, we’ll take an in-depth look at each position group for the Chicago Bears with an eye toward the 2023 season. We’ll speculate on who stays, who goes, and a few possible additions we’d like to see general manager Ryan Poles make.
The Chicago Bears are sure to add to the tight end position in 2024. Besides heading into a newish scheme with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, only one tight end is returning from their 53-man roster.
Here’s how the current roster shapes up at the position.
Cole Kmet- Signed through 2027 – Kmet is coming off a career-best 73 receptions and 719 yards, and he did it the season after he signed his big contract extension. With 211 career catches, he’s now 19th all-time in Bears history, and among just Chicago tight ends, he only trails Desmond Clark (242) and Mike Ditka (316).
Kmet won’t turn 25 until next month, he has good hands, he’s a big red zone target, and he’s become a solid blocker, so he’s a lock to be manning the Y position in Chicago for the next few years.
Robert Tonyan – Free agent – I thought Tonyan would be able to provide some juice for Luke Getsy’s Bears offense in 2023 as the move TE, but he only managed 11 receptions.
Marcedes Lewis – Free agent – Lewis is still a very good blocker, and if he decides to keep playing — he’ll be 40 in May — I’d love to see him return, but my guess is the Bears will go in a younger direction.
Stephen Carlson – Signed through 2024 – Carlson was on the Bears practice squad in 2023 and was called up for one regular season game. They brought him back on a reserve/futures deal, but at 27 years old, this will probably be his last offseason trying to catch on.
2024 Outlook – The most receptions a tight end had in any of Waldron’s three years coordinating Seattle’s offense was 50 (Noah Fant in 2022), but Waldron has also utilized plenty of two and three tight end sets, so he values the versatility the position beings to the offense.
The Seahawks have two free agents, Fant and Colby Parkinson, that Waldron could bring over who could pair with Kmet. I would expect at least one veteran to be added, but I don’t think the Bears will spend significant money on the position, so the market would dictate their availability.
Drafting a move tight end is an option, and Georgia’s Brock Bowers has been a popular name on fan mock drafts, but I don’t think he’d be in play for the Bears at nine overall.
I asked our lead draft analyst Jacob Infante to give me a couple of day three tight ends to keep an eye on, and he said Ben Sinnott (6’4”, 247) from Kansas State and Jaheim Bell (6’3”, 238) from Florida State.
How do you see Chicago’s tight end room shaping up in 2024?
You must be logged in to post a comment Login