The Chicago Bears will go into 2020 with a ton of problems to fix. Most of them center on the offensive side of the ball. The offensive line might need some tweaks. Wide receiver depth looks like a growing issue. Do they make a change at quarterback? However, the one area that might need the most attention is tight end. When an entire position group fails to reach 400 yards for a season, you know there are serious problems in play.
Trey Burton was a major disappointment after his solid 2018, dealing with multiple injury issues. Former 2nd round pick Adam Shaheen has proven one of the bigger busts of the Ryan Pace era. He never even came close to reaching the potential he showed coming out of Ashland in 2017. The shifting of Bradley Sowell to the position proved pointless. Ben Braunecker isn’t much help on offense either. In the end, the Bears have made do with an undrafted rookie in Jesper Horsted and a veteran castoff in J.P. Holtz.
They badly need to find help this offseason. Somebody who can actually be a credible threat in the passing game. This might involve taking a calculated risk. Free agency won’t have many options that are within their price range. The upcoming draft class for 2020 is widely considered weak at the position. So could there possibly be a trade option out there they can explore? Based on the latest rumors, there is.
Chicago Bears have a window to grab David Njoku
Coming out of 2018, it felt like one of the emerging young tight ends in the NFL was David Njoku. The former 1st round pick posted 639 yards and four touchdowns with rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield. He proved to be a tall and athletic target with strong hands. However, a wrist injury sidelined him for much of 2019 and how he handled recovery from it appears to have created a rift between the 23-year old and the organization.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Pete Smith of Sports Illustrated explored the issue.
“Nevertheless, there is a belief that his resistance to get the surgery right away resulted in a longer recovery, keeping him out an extra few weeks.
This might have created a rift between Njoku and the organization or widened one that was already there. Since being activated, Njoku has reportedly been bad in practice in the periods open to the media according to Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan. Ruiter has said he’s been dropping passes and getting assignments wrong.
That reporting was supported by Njoku getting on the field against the Cincinnati Bengals, only to seemingly run the wrong route and have a pass stripped away from him by a defender as they went to the ground, resulting in an interception. That play also led to a heated exchange between head coach Freddie Kitchens and Njoku on the sideline.”
It’s also important to remember that the GM in charge of the Browns, John Dorsey, was not the one who drafted Njoku. He was also reported to have been critical of the tight end before the draft itself. So it’s not hard to think Cleveland would be willing to move on if they receive the right offer. With just five catches for 41 yards this year, Njoku’s value is going to be lower. This makes it an ideal move for the Bears.
While there is risk in acquiring a player who is rumored to have work ethic issues, the potential payoff is undeniable. In terms of talent, Njoku is better than anything the Bears currently have. If they could unlock it, they’ll have the sort of weapon their scheme has sorely missed.
