Over the weekend, Bears general manager Ryan Pace traded tight end, Adam Shaheen, to the Miami Dolphins for a 2021 conditional seventh round draft pick. The trade comes as a surprise as Shaheen was expected not to make the team, and many were surprised that Pace found any value in return for the former second-round pick. It is ironic that the tight end, who’s career started with the Bears in 2017, had his career go downhill from that point on.
When Pace drafted Shaheen with the 45th overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, many questioned the pick as the tight end was from a Division II school. Analysts and fans feared that Chicago’s general manager had overreached for a player that some believed wouldn’t have been considered until the fourth round at the earliest. While at Ashland, the tight end towered over opposing defenders. Pace thought he had found massive sleeper pick in the tight end. Shaheen was compared to All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski for his size and speed.
Shaheen began 2017 as the team’s third tight end behind Zack Miller and Dion Simms and was primarily used as a blocking tight end early in the season. When Miller missed the rest of the season due to a knee injury in week 8, the rookie tight end became the team’s starting tight end. Shaheen instantly clicked with a fellow rookie in quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. The former Ashland product would catch a reception of 21-yards or longer in three of the five games after becoming the starter. Shaheen recorded four receptions in two games with over 40 reception yards and a touchdown reception. His last game of 2017, would be his best as he caught four passes for 44 yards and a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals in week 14.
The touchdown grab by Shaheen against the Bengals would be his last of his season as he hurt his chest on the reception and missed the remaining three games of the season. Shaheen’s injury not only impeded his own growth but also Trubisky’s, as the quarterback was left without his top two tight ends. In the offseason, Pace hired head coach Matt Nagy and signed tight end Trey Burton to be the team’s number one tight end. Although Shaheen was the team’s second tight end, he showed potential, making plays in the first two preseason games before suffering a significant ankle injury. The second-year tight end’s 2018 season would be a waste as he caught just five passes and one touchdown in six games. In the team’s playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Shaheen would have a chance to make a difference with Burton sidelined due to a groin injury, but failed to due so catching three passes for 13 yards and missing a pivotal 3rd down conversion.
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With Burton’s injury extending over to the 2019 season, Shaheen had one more chance to prove himself to the Bears but again failed to due so catching nine passes for 74 yards in eight games. Following a game-ending fumble on special teams against Philadelphia in week 9, Shaheen did not play in another game and finished the season on injured reserved.
Chicago’s willingness to move on from the tight end shows just how much of a wasted pick it was for Pace. Furthermore, Shaheen’s inability to stay healthy to finish his rookie season may have been what did in his career with Chicago. Had the tight end stayed healthy for the last three games of the 2017 season, he might have convinced Bears management that he would be a viable option as the starting tight end enabling the team to pass on signing Burton. When Pace drafted the tight end, he viewed him as a downfield threat that could be valuable in red-zone situations due to his large size. Shaheen’s size did help him as all of his touchdowns came in goal-line situations as all of the passes thrown to him were all contested.
The health concerns also hindered his career as Chicago, especially once Nagy took over as coach, continued to try to find a role for him in the offense. In 2018, Shaheen received targets when he was on the field, but it was rare that he could ever stay healthy consistently. Many forget that the Bears wanted to use the Ashland tight end the same way they plan on using Cole Kmet this season.
Although Shaheen’s career didn’t pan out with the Bears, it is still remarkable that they got any draft capital for him in return. Given where the tight end was draft, the selection may go down as Pace’s worst as there was virtual no on-field production from the tight end following his rookie season. Shaheen showed potential in his rookie campaign along with other fellow rookies Tarik Cohen, Trubisky, and Eddie Jackson. The only problem was while they built on their rookie success, the tight end did not.