It’s no secret that tight ends have been virtually nonexistent this season on the Bears’ offense. Trey Burton and Adam Shaheen were supposed to be an integral part of Chicago’s offense — especially in an offense that needs production from its tight ends. Instead, they’ve failed miserably and now sit on injured reserve.
With Ben Braunecker still in concussion protocol, J.P. Holtz and Jesper Horsted have been thrust into starting roles. And unlike their predecessors, they produced when their team needed them to.
In last Thursday’s 31-24 victory over the Cowboys, Holtz and Horsted combined for seven catches for 92 yards. Holtz had three catches for a team-high 56 yards, and Horsted added four receptions for 36 yards. Both Holtz and Horsted caught every ball thrown their way.
For the first time this season, the Bears got production from their tight ends. But more importantly, they gave opposing teams something to think about moving forward in these final games against the Packers, Chiefs and Vikings.
“You don’t know exactly what you’re getting from them,” Nagy said. “They’re new to the offense, let alone their skillset. I think now we’re kind of getting an idea what their strengths and weaknesses are, and we’re trying to feed off their strengths.”
While the Bears aren’t likely to settle at the tight end position during the offseason, Holtz and Horsted have proven to be reliable prospects that the Bears can continue to develop moving forward.
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