One of the biggest positions the Chicago Bears have to look to fill this offseason is at the tight end spot. Last season marked the first time since 1970 that the Bears didn’t have a single tight end with more than 100 yards receiving in the entire season. Talk about a lack of production, not to mention that this position is vital for NFL offenses in today’s game. Thankfully, this year in both free agency and the NFL Draft there seem to be a lot of different routes the team could go to fill this need.
Bears are doing their homework
The Chicago Bears have met with two of the better tight ends in this years draft. Those two names happen to be Purdue’s Brycen Hopkins and Vanderbilt’s Jared Pinkney.
Who is Brycen Hopkins?
Brycen Hopkins is a 6’3, 241 pound, freak of an athlete that just so happens to play the tight end position for Purdue. In 2019, Hopkins had 61 catches, 830 receiving yards, and 7 touchdowns. Here is draft expert Trevor Sikkema analysis on the tight end:
“His above-average athleticism paired with his run after the catch threat made him a premium candidate to take the next step and be one of the more coveted offensive weapons in the 2020 draft.”
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Who is Jared Pinkney?
Jared Pinkney stands at 6’4 and 260 pounds. His size and ability to catch the ball are just some of the attributes that make him a valuable prospect in this years draft. Here is what The Draft Network had to say on the senior out of Vanderbilt.
“Accomplished pass-catching tight end. Athletic enough to work into and through voids in zone coverages. Quickly transitions into a ball carrier after the catch, and works to pluck the passes out of the air that are within his frame. Strong tucks into the body. Balanced through contact and straight into defenders, able to pick up yards after the catch both with athleticism and physicality. Explosive into blocks in space when he’s able to get defenders in his frame.”
The Bears have to get it right
At the end of the day, the NFL Draft can be a crap-shoot. We have seen some tight ends drafted in the fifth round, such as George Kittle, who have went on to become absolute juggernauts. But at the same time you can also take a gamble in the second round such as the Bears did when drafting Adam Shaheen.
There is no formula that works 100% of the time when it comes to drafting but for the Bears, they need to nail these two top-fifty picks. If they don’t, then Pace and company will likely be on the hot seat as their already walking on thin ice.