Chicago Bears: Free agency dominoes which could cause mayhem

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Chicago Bears (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /

1. Austin Hooper, Hunter Henry bidding wars

Just about any average Bears fan could tell you the Bears are overly thin at the tight end spot. Coming off a deplorable 2019 campaign as a group, one specific stat has stood out among them all (and I’m sure you’ve seen it): Not a single Bears tight end finished the season with over 100 receiving yards.

As we go into the free agency period, tight end is going to be a critical position to monitor. Sure, the Bears have Trey Burton — who is fine if he’s 100 percent healthy. But, adding another pass-catcher would almost turn that position into a luxury. Alright, that’s a stretch. Let’s take a step back.

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Already, we know the Green Bay Packers are parting ways with veteran tight end Jimmy Graham — and before you jump at that idea, I’ll gladly be the one to tell you he’s not the answer.

But, the Packers are reportedly going to be players for a guy like Austin Hooper — just like the Bears are.

Funny enough, there are also rumors that have the Packers going after one of the Bears’ own free agents, Nick Kwiatkoski. But, that’s another story.

Hunter Henry is an intriguing name. A serious injury history should keep the Bears a bit guarded, but Henry would certainly have a strong red zone presence in Matt Nagy’s offense.

If both these guys are off the market, Chicago could turn to Eric Ebron, only if he comes at the right price. Let’s say all three of these names sign with other teams — then, it’s to the draft we go. These are the main three names Ryan Pace needs to monitor.

If they’re gone quickly, it’s time to move on to filling that role with a rookie — ideally in rounds two or four.

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