Complete Chicago Bears 2017 53-man roster predictions

Tight Ends

Starters: Zach Miller and Dion Sims

Backups: Adam Shaheen and Daniel Brown

When I did the 53-man roster prediction last month, I left veteran Zach Miller out of the mix. I am excited about the upside that Adam Shaheen brings to the table and thought that he could come in and make an immediate impact. However, that seems extremely unlikely at this point.

Shaheen is a big, physical and athletic target, but he simply is not ready for a big role with the Chicago Bears. His blocking needs a lot of work and he has struggled to create separation through two preseason games. I still like Shaheen’s long-term value, but I do not see him making much of an impact in 2017.

That means that the Bears will be forced to keep Miller. He and Dion Sims will likely play a majority of the snaps at tight end early in the season. Miller is a solid and dependable receiver at the position, while Sims is a strong blocker with a bit of red zone receiving ability. They are not a dynamic duo by any means, but Miller and Sims should get the job done.

I also decided to keep Daniel Brown on the Chicago Bears’ roster. Brown is an interesting player who has performed well in the preseason. He is a converted wide receiver who shows obvious upside as a receiver at tight end. Brown is smooth, quick and relatively athletic.

I could see him making an impact as the third tight end on the roster. And if he grows into the role quickly, Brown could make Miller expendable at some point during the season.