The Chicago Bears have several areas of need outside the trenches as they prepare for free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft.
While the offensive and defensive lines were the focal point for Chicago during the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine, the team could use an upgrade at running back, safety, Keenan Allen’s replacement, and tight end.
The Bears cut tight end Gerald Everett in February as a cap casualty. While the Bears could look for a tight end in the draft to pair with Cole Kmet, a potential trade option has emerged.
The Las Vegas Raiders are looking for a trade partner
Per Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed of The Athletic, the Raiders are shopping tight end Michael Mayer.
“The Raiders have had discussions with teams who have interest in tight end Michael Mayer, according to league sources,” via the report. “Mayer hasn’t had the impact the Raiders hoped for when he was drafted in the second round in 2023. He had just 27 catches for 304 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games as a rookie. He missed six games due to personal reasons in 2024 and was delegated to a marginal role due to the ascent of tight end Brock Bowers, who was named a first-team All-Pro.
“Mayer will be on a team-friendly rookie contract for two more seasons and there are several teams who thought highly of him as a prospect. With Bowers in tow, it could make more sense for the Raiders to trade Mayer for assets rather than having him locked into a relatively small role.”
Would Michael Mayer work with the Chicago Bears?
Mayer’s production was down his rookie year, but that team had Jimmy Garoppolo and then-rookie Aidan O’Connell playing quarterback on a team that lost their head coach, Josh McDaniels, during the season.
Mayer was a beast during his three seasons at Notre Dame. He recorded 180 receptions for 2,099 yards and 18 touchdowns for the Irish.
At six-foot-four, 265 pounds, the 23-year-old has a big body to be a security blanket in the league. He’s also done well as a blocker for the Raiders.
Per Pro Football Focus, Mayer earned a 67.1 grade for pass blocking and 65.0 for run blocking in 2024.
Johnson featured tight ends heavily in his offense in Detroit. He knows the position well, coaching tight ends for the Lions in 2020 and 2021. Johnson could get the best out of Mayer, a once-promising prospect, in Chicago.
