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The Chicago Bears are adding a bit more depth to their tight end room for the competitive stage of the 2023 offseason after holding a successful tryout with a former Cleveland Browns veteran at this weekend’s rookie minicamp.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Bears are signing former Browns tight end Stephen Carlson to a one-year contract for the 2023 season, adding another piece with more than two years of experience on his resume to compete for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart behind Cole Kmet and newcomer Robert Tonyan Jr.
Carlson, 26, played in 25 games for the Browns over his first two seasons in the league with seven starts, but the 2019 undrafted free agent hasn’t been notably productive as a pass-catcher with just six catches for 62 yards and a touchdown on nine career targets. He was mostly used as a run-blocker for the Browns with Pro Football Focus marking 202 of his 292 total offensive snaps as blocking snaps, 170 of which were for the run.
Carlson has not played a regular-season snap since the end of the 2020 season, but he missed the entire 2021 season with a torn ACL and was unable to find a new team for 2022 despite having at least one workout with the New York Giants last summer.
The Bears now have four tight ends competing for what might only be one roster spot behind Kmet and Tonyan. They also have 25-year-old Chase Allen and 23-year-old Jake Tonges along with recently signed undrafted rookie Damien Caffrey out of Stony Brook.
Blocking & Secial Teams May Decide Bears’ No. 3 TE
The Bears have two clear primary options for tight end snaps heading into the summer. There’s Kmet, who led the team in receptions (50), receiving yards (544) and receiving touchdowns (seven) during their disappointing 3-14 season. And then there’s Tonyan, a defector from the Green Bay Packers who was one of Aaron Rodgers’ most reliable receiving targets over the past three seasons and caught 11 touchdowns in 2020. Both are capable of stretching the field as pass-catchers while also each possessing the blocking traits that will help them thrive in Luke Getsy’s offensive system.
Behind them, however, is a wide-open competition for the Bears’ third tight end spot.
The Bears are expected to run most of their receiving production at the position through Kmet and Tonyan, but they are likely going to want a No. 3 guy on their opening-day roster who can pick up blocking assignments and contribute on special teams. Carlson has experience in both areas, having chipped in for six special teams tackles during his last season for the Browns in 2022, but how he stacks up against the others in training camp and the preseason will be more important than history.
Where Else Could Bears Add Before Training Camp?
The Bears might not necessarily be done adding at tight end. As more veteran cuts take place throughout the summer, general manager Ryan Poles might find a better fit for the group and swap one out for another. For what it’s worth, he claimed a tight end (Rysen John) off the waivers in mid-May last offseason; although, Carlson bringing the room to six might be enough to keep him content until camp practices begin.
Even if the tight end room stays as it is now, though, the Bears have a few other positions of need they could stand to address in the coming months of free agency. The big one is defensive end. The Bears did not draft a new rookie into the room despite their lack of promising young talent at the position and could still benefit from adding another experienced pass rusher, such as Yannick Ngakoue, Frank Clark, Leonard Floyd or Jadeveon Clowney.
The Bears could also be tempted to install a veteran offensive tackle in their lineup behind expected starters Braxton Jones and first-round rookie Darnell Wright. While there is a chance they could be content with Alex Leatherwood and Larry Borom competing for the swing tackle role, not a single offensive tackle on their roster has played more than two full seasons in the NFL. If they want the safety net, there are still a few options — like Cameron Fleming and George Fant — on the market to choose from.
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