Signing Robert Tonyan made perfect sense for the Chicago Bears. While Cole Kmet enjoyed a breakout season in 2022, the tight end position is a thin one for this team. If Kmet were to go down with an injury, they had nobody ready to step up in his place. That is no longer an issue. Tonyan is a proven veteran who played in the same system with the Green Bay Packers for the past five years. He gives the Bears much-needed depth and another chess piece offensive coordinator Luke Getsy can utilize to create mismatches.
However, his addition goes beyond that. There is likely a very specific reason Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus targeted Tonyan. It wasn’t his history as a Bears fan. It wasn’t his familiarity with the system. No, it’s his value in the red zone. Chicago was a pedestrian 13th in red zone scoring percentage last year. Most of their success came on the ground. When Justin Fields tried to throw, the results were mixed at best. Justin Fields particularly struggled from inside the 10-yard line, holding a 77.2 passer rating.
That should change with Tonyan in town. Of his 18 career touchdowns, 11 have come in the red zone and six inside the 10.
Robert Tonyan gives the Bears another giant target.
Don’t forget six of Kmet’s seven touchdowns last season came inside the red zone. Suddenly the Bears have two giant, athletic tight ends known for making plays in shorter confines. That creates genuine problems for defenses. Chicago can deploy both of them on the field at the same time, giving Fields multiple options to exploit. If this offense can finish more drives with touchdowns, it drastically increases the likelihood they’ll be able to win more football games. That is why perceived minor moves like this are so important.
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Don’t let the smaller contract fool you. Signing Robert Tonyan is a big deal in the wider context of this Bears offense. He makes them bigger, deeper, and more dependable in the most important area of the field. Moving the ball between the 20s is easy. Finishing drives off is not. He lowers the difficulty setting. If the Bears’ offensive line gives Fields better protection, don’t be surprised if he finds his new tight end multiple times in the end zone this season.
