Chicago Bears: Is Cordarrelle Patterson an option at tight end?

With all of their issues at the tight end position, could the Chicago Bears look to an unconventional option?

It’s no secret that the Chicago Bears have a significant issue at the tight end position. Coming into training camp, any fan would have told you that the biggest concern going into the season would be the kicking situation. However, the kickers have performed surprisingly well so far in camp and concerns over that position have eased slightly.

But concern is growing over the Bears current tight end group. While there was a lot of excitement over the prospects of a healthy Trey Burton and Adam Shaheen, and three undrafted free agents (UFAs) competing at camp, that excitement has been replaced with angst.

For starters, Burton can’t get on the field, and Shaheen can’t stay on it. As for the UFAs, Dax Raymond, Ian Bunting, and Ellis Richardson have had a decent start, but are nowhere close to being able to step in and take over for Burton or Shaheen should they not be able to go.

So what are the Bears to do in the worst-case scenario where Burton misses significant time due to injury? They could decide to try to make a deal for a veteran tight end or even pick one up off the scrap heap after roster cuts.

However, there are risks with both of those options. A veteran tight will likely cost you draft capital, which the Bears don’t have very much of. A released player wouldn’t cost you anything, but there is also likely a reason they were cut in the first place.

While those options could seem dire, all hope may not be lost, especially for an offensive mind as creative as Matt Nagy.

During the offseason, they signed free agent Cordarrelle Patterson, whom the Patriots deployed as a wide receiver, running back, and kick returner last season. In other words, he is “Mr. Versatile.” Patterson stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs 228 pounds, while Burton checks in at 6-foot-3, 235 pounds. From a stature standpoint, they are nearly identical. From an athleticism standpoint, you’d have to give the edge to Patterson.

Perhaps Patterson does not have the experience blocking that Burton has, but here’s where Nagy’s creativity can be used to mask any deficiencies. Moreover, the reality is even if Burton is a better blocker, he’s in the game to catch the football, as that’s where he is the biggest threat. In that regard, there is virtually no drop-off, and in fact, Patterson may even be better.

You’d think Nagy could use Patterson in many of the same ways he used Burton — to stretch the field, open up the middle, and create mismatches in coverage. Heck, that’s what Patterson does when lined up as a receiver or running back, so why not give him a shot at tight end? It’s not an ideal situation, and certainly not a permanent solution, but if Burton is going to miss significant time, Nagy may need to think outside the box.