The Chicago Bears know they need better play out of the quarterback position. However, anybody with eyes could see that the problem on offense went beyond that. Nowhere was the misery more pronounced than at tight end. It reached a low point when not a single player on that area of the depth chart managed 100 yards or more in 2019. That is genuinely hard to do in the modern NFL. So it's hardly a surprise that buzz is strong they are hoping to find help there.
What kind of help though? While they've remained focused on the NFL draft to this point, there is growing belief they might be gearing up for a splash of some kind in free agency. Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times has it on good authority that the name they're honing in on is Atlanta Falcons standout Austin Hooper.
"Despite very limited salary-cap space and a highly paid tight end already on their roster, a source said they are planning to make a run at Falcons two-time Pro Bowler Austin Hooper when free agency opens next month.
Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said this week his team will not franchise tag Hooper, nor will it try to sign him to an extension before free agency. He will hit the open market as the best tight end available."
Hooper is exactly the kind of Chicago Bears target
So much about Hooper makes sense here. Pace historically likes to target younger free agents who are trending up in their careers. This is definitely the case for the 25-year old. He finished with career highs in both yards (787) and touchdowns (6) last season. His ability as a pass catcher has really rounded into form and he's not a complete waste as a blocker either. While nobody would compare him to Travis Kelce, he would be a substantial upgrade over Adam Shaheen.
Combining him with a healthy Trey Burton? That would definitely give the Bears offense a major shot in the arm.
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