Tag: Jesper Horsted

Bears’ Jesper Horsted displays promise as tight end prospect

The Bears have’t had production out of their tight ends this season, but it’s Jesper Horsted who’s turning out to be an intriguing prospect.

Tight end production has been virtually nonexistent for the Chicago Bears this season. But it’s receiver-turned-tight end Jesper Horsted who’s turning out to be an intriguing tight end prospect for the Bears.

With Trey Burton on injured reserve and Adam Shaheen sidelined with a foot injury, Horsted was elevated to the active roster last week for the New York Giants game, where he saw four snaps on offense, including one reception for 4 yards, as well as eight special teams snaps. It was that experience that proved valuable for the former Princeton receiver that’s still learning the tight end position.

“Everything was at 100 mph last week, and it was just really nice to get that out of the way because this game I was really able to focus on my assignment more,” Horsted said, via the Chicago Tribune. “Last game, it was loud, it was fast, everything was big. This game, things kind of slowed down for me, and I was able to just focus on my assignment and do what I have been doing.”

Horsted, a preseason darling that impressed with his ability to make contested catches, came up big for the Bears in the third quarter in Thursday’s 24-20 victory over the Detroit Lions. Horsted’s lone reception of the game was a significant one — an 18-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Mitchell Trubisky that tied the game at 17-17.

“It wasn’t necessarily schemed for me,” Horsted said. “Thankfully, I had a good outside leverage on the man and it was a beautiful ball from Mitch. I wasn’t going to let that one drop. I knew I caught the ball but I want to go back and watch it. I knew it was a contested catch and I knew there was no way that ball was dropping. It was in slow motion and yet I really don’t remember what happened. I just remember looking the ball into my hands and rolling over so (Harris) couldn’t rip it out.

“I was very excited, but I had to go down for kickoff next, so you got to move on to the next play.”

With Burton sidelined for the remainder of the season, Shaheen’s status up in the air and Ben Braunecker recovering from a concussion, Horsted figures to get more opportunities next Thursday against the Dallas Cowboys.

Given that Horsted has only been playing tight end for six months, the more he continues to learn the position and get valuable reps, the more intriguing a prospect he figures to be heading into 2020.

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Could Cordarrelle Patterson be Bears’ answer at tight end?

Bears versatile weapon Cordarrelle Patterson asked Matt Nagy if he could potentially fill in at the tight end position.

Cordarrelle Patterson is as versatile as they come. He can play wide receiver, kick returner and running back. But what about tight end?

With the Bears thin at the tight end position, could Matt Nagy employ the versatile Patterson as a tight end? It’s not as crazy as it may sound, considering that discussion has gone back to August about the idea, according to Chicago Sun-Times reporter Jason Lieser.

The struggles of the Bears’ tight ends have been well-documented this season, as they’ve been virtually non-existent in this offense.

With Trey Burton on injured reserve and Adam Shaheen and Ben Braunecker ruled out this week, the Bears will turn to Jesper Horsted and JP Holtz at tight end. Patterson has even gone to Nagy to inquire about potentially filling in at the position.

The kick return specialist/receiver/running back is the kind of player that you want to have on the field as often as possible, and given the struggles of the offense — particularly tight ends — this season, why not try Patterson at tight end? The mismatches would be incredible and could open up this offense.

While tight end requires different responsibilities that would require an offseason to learn, Patterson couldn’t possibly be worse than what the Bears have put on the field this season at the tight end position.

Patterson did line up at tight end at times with the New England Patriots last season, so it wouldn’t be entirely new for him.

We’ll see how Nagy ultimately decides to utilize Patterson in this offense on Thursday and in these final five games of the season.

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Don’t expect to see Bears WR Taylor Gabriel or TE Ben Braunecker on Thanksgiving

Matt Nagy says it will “probably be a stretch” to see Bears WR Taylor Gabriel or TE Ben Braunecker play Thanksgiving vs. Lions.

As the Chicago Bears prepare to face the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, they’ll likely do it down two offensive weapons.

Wide receiver Taylor Gabriel and tight end Ben Braunecker remain in concussion protocol, and both aren’t expected to play Thursday against the Lions.

Bears coach Matt Nagy said that it “would be probably a stretch” for Gabriel or Braunecker to play on Thanksgiving.

The Bears are already thin at tight end before Braunecker’s concussion, as Trey Burton is on injured reserve and Adam Shaheen is sidelined with a foot injury. Now, it’ll be the Jesper Horsted and J.P. Holtz show.

Gabriel’s absence could open the door for rookie receiver Riley Ridley, who’s been inactive this season on the 53-man roster. With Gabriel inactive, look for Anthony Miller, Javon Wims and Ridley along with Allen Robinson on offense.

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Bears vs Giants Inactives: TE Jesper Horsted set to make NFL debut

Chicago Bears rookie tight end Jesper Horsted gets his chance to see the field against the New York Giants as the preseason standout is active for Week 12. He was promoted from the practice squad this week and gets the nod over Bradley Sowell. Adam …

Chicago Bears rookie tight end Jesper Horsted gets his chance to see the field against the New York Giants as the preseason standout is active for Week 12.

He was promoted from the practice squad this week and gets the nod over Bradley Sowell. Adam Shaheen was ruled out of the game earlier in the week due to a foot injury.

Inside linebacker Danny Trevathan is also out for a seconnd-straight week with his elbow injury, and a spattering of other young players round out the rest of the inactive list.

Mitchell Trubisky was a full participant all week and was removed from the injury report on Friday after dealing with a hip injury suffered during last Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams.

The Giants, meanwhile, will be without their top tight end Evan Engram, who was unable to go despite a bye week off.

Bears’ Jesper Horsted shows promise, but not ‘a full-on tight end yet’

Jesper Horsted has only been playing tight end for just six months, but the Bears are giving him a shot as they’re thin at the position.

With the Chicago Bears thin at the tight end position, they’re taking every opportunity to evaluate preseason stud Jesper Horsted to see if he’s got a future on this team.

Horsted, who’s only played tight end for six months, insists that it’s going to take him time to truly learn the position. But he did prove to be the Bears’ most promising prospect coming out of preseason.

‘‘Even though I’m a fast study, it’s going to take time — more than a few months,’’ Horsted said Wednesday, via the Sun-Times. ‘‘I’m going in the right direction, but by no means am I a full-on tight end yet.’’

Trey Burton, the Bears’ primary “U” or pass-catching tight end, is on injured reserve with a calf/groin injury, and the Bears are exploring their options with Horsted at the “U” position. Aside from Ben Braunecker, who played 50 offensive snaps against the Rams, Horsted is the only healthy option at the “U” position.

Horsted, an undrafted rookie out of Princeton, impressed during the preseason, where he had the Bears’ only two touchdown receptions. But it was his ability to make contested catches that certainly drew heads.

Horsted said that Burton and Brauncker, among others, have helped him learn the position.

‘‘They’re extremely good at it — like, so much better than I expected coming into the NFL,’’ Horsted said. ‘‘They’ve been so helpful. Not only when I go to them to ask them a question, but they will be on my case on the sideline: ‘So what do you have on this play? When are we killing this play?’ Maybe to a point where I’m like: ‘All right, leave me alone. I’m trying to watch.’ ’’

While Horsted isn’t expected to play a full-time role, as Braunecker will fill that spot, he serves to get some reps on offense and special teams.

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Bears promote TE Jesper Horsted to active roster

With the Bears thin at the tight end position, they promoted preseason stud Jesper Horsted to the active roster.

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After waiving linebacker James Vaughters on Monday, the Chicago Bears have promoted tight end Jesper Horsted to the active roster on Tuesday.

Sitting at 4-6 with any shot at the playoffs essentially over, it’s time for the Bears to start looking at their young roster to see what they have moving forward in 2020.

So with the Bears thin at the tight end position, activating Horsted is a move that makes plenty of sense in more ways than one.

 

Trey Burton was placed on injured reserve last week while Adam Shaheen has been a healthy scratch against the Lions and missed the Rams game with a foot injury, which you have to figure is indicative of his performance this season.

The Bears have gotten no production from their tight ends this season. Though you could argue that in two games Ben Braunecker was more effective than Burton and Shaheen.

Horsted, one of the Bears’ undrafted rookie free agents, will get a chance to show what he can bring to the table this week against the New York Giants. During the preseason, Horsted had eight receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns, which was enough to draw the eyes of other teams.

According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, Horsted had opportunities to go elsewhere, but the Bears offered him “a substantial pay raise to remain on the practice squad — $15,000 per week, nearly double the minimum of $8,000 per week.”

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