In 2020, the Bears drafted Cole Kmet with their first pick that year, a second-rounder at No. 43 overall.
Since then, Ryan Poles and Ryan Pace drafted 39 times without taking tight end. Kmet is the only Bears tight end drafted since Adam Shaheen in 2017 and those two the only ones drafted since the start of the Marc Trestman coaching era in 2013.
It might be time to accessorize at this position with another lower-cost, drafted player to develop instead of relying on castoff veteran free agents like Gerald Everett, Robert Tonyan, Ryan Griffin or Jesse James.
Gerald Everett's high cost for a tight end who had eight catches last year and Marcedes Lewis' status as a 41-year-old tight end when 2025 training camp starts dictates something be done at this position.
The main reason, though, is coach Ben Johnson became known for using 12-personnel packages, or double tight end as they used to say. They were s a top-12 team in 12-personnel for 2023 and last year used it 32.2% of the time, the third-highest percentage according to Sumer Sports.
It helped his running game greatly, although it didn't produce big catch totals for the second tight end. Using two tight ends makes defenses defend an extra gap and gives the quarterback another tool to recognize defensive intent. It can also help create mismatches with smaller safeties trying to guard a bigger Y-tight end like Kmet while the move tight end can take a linebacker for a ride downfield.
While Johnson used two tight ends a great deal, he didn't necessarily have a lot of receptions from the second tight end. Brock Wright never had more than 18 catches in three years with Johnson as coordinator. It usually helped Sam LaPorta, or before that T.J. Hockenson, to be open. It always benefited their dangerous running game.
So finding someone else who can help, preferably both as a receiver and blocker, would help the Bears.
Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema made the tight end crop one of four position groups in this draft with a "great" rating. The others were defensive tackles, safeties and cornerbacks
The best tight ends available are generally thought to be Penn State's Tyler Warren, Michigan's Colston Loveland, Texas' Gunnar Helm, LSU's Bason Taylor and Miami's Elijah Arroyo.
For the Bears to wind up with one of them, it might mean they fell in the draft, or the Bears skipped or found a way already in free agency to address other needs. But it's a deep group, well past the big guns. Here's who they could find after the initial group, down into Day 3 and end of Day 2.
Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green
What Fannin did was so outstanding that many teams won't have questions about the MAC competition he regularly faced. Fannin had a ridiculous 100 catches for 1,342 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024 alone. Fannin made 129 catches for 1,308 yards in his college career. One talent PFF noted he possesses is a deadly stiff-arm, and he broke or forced 32 missed tacles. At 6-3, 238, he's a classic size for a move or U-type tight end. The other plus here -- PFF graded him at 75.2 as a blocker in his final season, which was higher than even the tight ends expected to go in the first two rounds.
Jake Briningstool, Clemson
Another U-type who was a nightmare for defenses in matching up against or in the red zone. He had seven TDs this past season and 17 for his career. Overall, he made 127 catches for 1,380 yards and is 6-5, 234.
Terrance Ferguson, Oregon
A solid blocker for this position (60.2 PFF grade), he's 6-5, 245 and caught 134 passes for 1,537 yards.
Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame
At 6-5, 256, he's a size to be a Y-tight end but displayed some downfield value with 11.7 yards per catch. He had 77 receptions for 903 yards and five TDs, while being solid (60.7 PFF grade) as a blocker.
Luke Lachey, Iowa
The latest product from one of the schools renowned for producing tight ends, Lachey is 6-6, 250 and averaged 12.1 yards a catch and made 74 receptions for 893 yards with four TDs. He's regarded by some scouts as a strong run blocker.
Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse
A downfield threat as a 6-5, 236-pound move tight end with a very healthy 73 receptions for 934 yards and seven TDs last year. For his career, it was 143 catches and 2,000 yards with a 14-yard average per catch. He had 14 career TDs.
Moliki Matavao, UCLA
One of the bigger tight ends and about Kmet's size at 6-6, 263, he made 41 catches for 506 yards (12.3 ypc) last year with two TDs. He had 74 catches for 998 yards and six TDs in his career.
C.J. Dippre, Alabama
A bigger tight end at 6-5, 262, he was regarded and used more for blocking but did have 21 catches for 256 yards last year. He had 68 catches for 795 yards and three TDs. Without big numbers, the competition he faced is also to be considered.
