Chicago Bears: 5 biggest questions heading into training camp
By Ryan Heckman
1. How do the coaches really feel about the tight end group?
One of the best pieces of news we received recently was that of Trey Burton, who missed the team’s offseason program due to sports hernia surgery. Ryan Pace said that he expects Burton to be healthy for the start of camp, giving him seemingly zero excuses to perform well.
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Burton led the group by far and away a year ago, and by all accounts, played well. Finishing with 54 receptions for 569 yards and six touchdowns, Burton gave the Bears more than many other tight ends gave their respective teams last season.
Still, some have the opinion that he’s a bit overrated. How durable is he? Not just physically, but mentally?
Beyond Burton, Adam Shaheen is waiting to prove he was worth a second-round pick a couple of years ago. His development is coming along slower than most thought, and an injury hurt him all last year as well.
Chicago brought back Ben Braunecker, but he’s no more than just a third or fourth tight end on any team.
The guy to watch in this group is Dax Raymond, an undrafted rookie out of Utah State. His physical tools as a receiver within a tight end’s body is going to be impossible to ignore from Nagy’s perspective.
If Raymond pops right away in camp, he could alter the opinion on the tight end group and ultimately shake up the depth chart in a big, big way.