Chicago Bears: If not now, then when for TE Adam Shaheen?

The Chicago Bears have remained very patient with third-year tight-end Adam Shaheen, as he’s continually dealt with nagging injuries since being drafted in the second round of the 2017 draft.

As the Chicago Bears prepare to have another impressive season under head coach Matt Nagy, one area on the field they’ll look to improve upon is their offensive efficiency. That all begins with having a fully healthy roster once the regular season begins, and unfortunately one player who was primed to finally break out in his third season with the organization just can’t avoid being dinged up.

Tight-end Adam Shaheen has dealt with a back injury sustained this offseason, thus missing valuable practice and game action, during a crucial period in his development as a go-to player for the Bears’ offense this season.

Shaheen has battled various injuries since joining the Bears in 2017, which has unfortunately hindered his development on the field. When healthy, Shaheen has proven to be a viable pass-catching option, especially inside the red-zone, where his  6′ 6″ height gives him a massive advantage over opposing defensive backs.

In brief spurts over the previous two seasons, Shaheen has looked like an exciting potent weapon on offense that the Bears’ coaching staff envisioned when drafting him in the second round. His size, speed, and agility are somewhat reminiscent of former Pro Bowl TE Jimmy Graham, yet because of both injuries and simply being buried down in the depth chart, Shaheen just hasn’t gotten many opportunities to showcase his god-given talent.

During the offseason, the Bears said goodbye to TE Dion Sims, who just couldn’t develop into another consistent offensive security blanket for Mitch Trubisky to use alongside Trey Burton.

Simms’ departure instantly created an opening for Shaheen to move up the team’s depth chart, thus receiving more in-game snaps on the field. It’s too bad Shaheen hasn’t made the most of that golden opportunity placed in front of him to this point.

The Bears hope Shaheen will be ready to make an immediate impact once the regular season begins, but relying on a player who played a total of six games last season certainly brings forth plenty of nervous nail-biting coming from Ryan Pace and the front office, especially if Burton misses any game action.

Shaheen’s current situation is reminiscent of former Bear WR Kevin White. White like Shaheen, had the physical traits needed to become a dominant player at his position over time, yet couldn’t shake off the injury bug. Unfortunately, by the time White was finally healthy and feeling like his old self on the field, his lack of practice and in-game reps over prior seasons ultimately proved too costly, as he found himself seemingly non-existent on the Bears last season, even so far as being labeled as a “healthy” scratch during games.

Often times, players who have immense potential on the field never see it come to fruition due to injury. Shaheen, while still a very young, talented player, is likely as raw from a mental standpoint on the field as a typical rookie would be, given he spends more time nursing injuries as opposed to practicing.

It’s safe to say at this point that Shaheen is “injury” prone. It’s unfortunate, because his talent is seemingly going to waste more often than not. Maybe over time he’ll prove doubters wrong and shed that label. In order for that to happen though, he’ll have to demonstrate to the coaching staff that he’s finally fully healthy, and ready to contribute in a big way on offense this season.

Let’s hope time is on Shaheen’s side. It’ll be all up to his body to make that a pleasant reality. Otherwise, don’t be surprised if the Bears simply move on from him before we all know it.