Demetrius Harris already seems quite comfortable in Chicago. The new Bears tight end spoke with the media about his new team via Zoom last week, and he had more than a few encouraging things to say. The six-year vet will begin year seven in Chicago, his third team, where he will be reunited with Bears head coach Matt Nagy. Harris spent his first five seasons with Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs before heading to Cleveland to play for the Browns last year.
Nagy was on the coaching staff four of his five years with Kansas City, and after a ho-hum season with the Browns, Harris is ready to be back in an offense that’s familiar to him. “I’m so happy to be back in this offense, because I know it in and out,” Harris said about Nagy’s scheme. Harris also noted he is looking to expand his role this upcoming season. He has only caught 72 passes in his career, and he has primarily been utilized as a blocking tight end, but he’s ready to start evolving.
“I was a No. 2 tight end since I’ve been in the league,” Harris said matter of factly, and when he was asked if he could see his role expanding as a pass catcher, he had zero doubts.
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Demetrius Harris Ready to Grow in Bears Offense
He’s a solid blocker, which the Bears desperately need, but can Harris be a receiving threat? “That’s something I know I can do,” he said last week. “And I know a coach that believed in me and knows I can do it, too, that … has seen the growth in me. So, yeah, I most definitely can do it, and I’m going to do it.”
Harris’ comfort with Nagy could be a big help for the Bears’ offense in 2020, and the tight end is already starting to gel with his new teammates. He has been working out with Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, among others, and he likes the way it’s going so far. “Every day we get together, we work hard, we have fun, have the music playing and get to it … We all want to be better,” Harris said.
Harris Compares 2020 Bears to Kansas City
Harris also disclosed he and his teammates have been working on route-running and timing, and he noted there has not been a time limit to their sessions. “The vibe is always a good vibe. We put the music on, we enjoy the energy, we run routes.” He also says he feels an instant connection with his new teammates. “I feel like I know them well,” he said, before dropping this eye-raising tidbit: “On this team, it’s just like the K.C. vibe here, man.”
The Bears finished 8-8 last season, while Reid and Kansas City went on to win the Super Bowl. Nagy has yet to find similar success on the offensive side of the ball in Chicago, but the fact that his locker room did not fall apart after a majorly disappointing 2019 season says a lot.
The Bears may not be as talented as the Chiefs, but if Nagy has his players believing in themselves — and if the team stays healthy, Chicago could absolutely surprise a lot of people. A strong culture goes a long way in the NFL, and if one former pupil of Andy Reid sees a similar situation in Chicago, that bodes well for the Bears moving forward.
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New TE Compares 2020 Bears to Super Bowl Champion Chiefs