INDIANAPOLIS — Almost everything about the Bears’ roster is up for discussion now that Ben Johnson is on board as their new coach, as it should be after a 5-12 season. And tight end is one area where he might want some reinforcement.
The Bears have not had a tight end put up 800 or more yards receiving since Martellus Bennett did it over a decade ago. Last season, Cole Kmet’s numbers dipped to their lowest since he was a rookie, and the Bears got nothing in the passing game from Gerald Everett or Marcedes Lewis.
“Usually with a young quarterback, tight ends are able to have a lot of production,” general manager Ryan Poles said at the NFL Scouting Combine, referring to quarterback Caleb Williams. “Making sure those guys are lined up, have the chemistry, are seeing things the same way — I believe from [Johnson’s] past, that should be able to take off.”
Johnson had a tight end in the top six in yards receiving all three seasons as Lions offensive coordinator, first with T.J. Hockenson, then Sam LaPorta.
Johnson and Poles must analyze whether Kmet is enough of a receiving threat or if the Bears should draft a tight end who specializes as a pass catcher with one of their middle-round picks.
With so many pressing needs on both lines of scrimmage, they don’t have the luxury of using one of their top three picks — Nos. 10, 39 and 41 overall — on a tight end, but their third-rounder at No. 72 could be the right time to take one. Over the last seven drafts, an average of 2.7 tight ends went in the first two rounds, leaving significant talent available in the third.
It depends on how deep the class proves to be and how many teams need top-end talent at the position, but it’s likely the Bears will have strong options in the third round, and that’s part of what they’re exploring at the combine.
One prominent target is LSU’s Mason Taylor, who broke out with 55 catches — a program record at the position — for 546 yards in just 12 games and has NFL lineage. His father Jason Taylor and uncle Zach Thomas both starred for the Dolphins and are Hall of Famers, and growing up around pro athletes, he learned firsthand what is required to become one.
“I had the inside scoop,” Taylor said Thursday. “It’s all hard work and dedication. Seeing their work ethic … My dad was undersized coming into the NFL and worked to separate himself from other players, and that’s what it takes to be on this next level.”
Taylor described himself as “a tremendous route runner,” which is exactly what the Bears want to hear.
ESPN ranked him the third-best tight end in this class, and he is widely projected to go early in the third round. The Bears also could have a shot at Miami’s Elijah Arroyo, Oregon’s Terrance Ferguson and Texas’ Gunnar Helm.
The key for Johnson and Poles will be to pinpoint why Kmet’s production dropped off as he finished outside the top 20 at his position in catches and yards despite carrying the eighth-highest salary. He was very good in 2023 with 73 catches for 719 yards and six touchdowns.
If it was merely a matter of scheme, which wouldn’t be surprising given the many missteps of former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, or the result of an offense that struggled all around as its rookie quarterback acclimated to the NFL, then Johnson could provide an immediate boost by utilizing Kmet more effectively and giving him better opportunities.
If it’s more about skillset, drafting a dynamic receiver at tight end would be prudent, and it’s a viable option considering how inexpensive a player picked in the third round would be.
Either way, the more playmakers Johnson has to work with, the more likely he is to ignite the Bears’ offense.
