The Chicago Bears have met with two tight ends on most draft analysts’ lists for the 2024 NFL Draft. The Bears have two picks in the top ten of April’s draft, and they could use one of those picks to improve their pass-catching next season.
The Chicago Bears are looking at top pass catchers
Head coach Matt Eberflus said Tuesday he wanted the Bears to add a dynamic pass catcher in the draft. While the Bears could take a top wide receiver prospect like Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze, or Marvin Harrison Jr., there is a good possibility that neither of those players could be on the board if the Bears pick at nine. (Assuming the Bears take a quarterback with the number one pick.)
The Bears would have several options to consider at nine without the receivers mentioned above. Eberflus said he wants to add a defensive end this offseason. But the Bears could add one of the best tight ends in the draft.
The Bears met with Brock Bowers
Georgia tight end Brock Bowers met with the media at the NFL Combine Thursday morning. The rather soft-spoken Unanimous All-American confirmed he met with the Bears this week. The meeting was evidently too serious for putt-putt or darts, which the Bears use to break the ice with most prospects they meet with during the combine.
Bowers said he liked the play of USC quarterback Caleb Williams and would love to play with the rookie next year. He appeared most excited about the prospect of playing with Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals (And who in position wouldn’t?). But Bowers is likely out of the Bengals’ range, as they don’t pick until 18 in April.
Bowers’ presser on Thursday drew the largest crowd of reporters at the combine that I’ve seen so far. I expect that will likely be dwarfed by Williams on Friday morning.
However, the media buzz combined with Bowers saying he met with so many teams this week that he’s forgotten some of them leads me to believe there’s is good reason to think Bowers won’t escape the top ten in the draft, and he might not make it to the Bears at nine.
The Bears met with Ja’Tavion Sanders
The Bears also met with the second-ranked tight end in the class, Texas’ prospect Ja’Tavion Sanders.
“I feel like [the meeting with the Bears] went pretty great,” Sanders said. “I feel like they love me. I feel like they see potential in me.”
Sanders is projected to be an early second-day pick, and if the Bears trade Justin Fields, they could be in a position to take Sanders.
Sanders recorded 48 receptions for 682 yards and two touchdowns for Texas last season. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is who Sanders said he models his game after. I asked Sanders how he would feel being teamed up with Williams next season if both landed in Chicago. Sanders thinks he could help Chicago in a big way.
I feel like I’d be [Williams] number one target if we were put on the same team. He likes big boy targets, and I know he’ll throw it up to me where only I can get it,” Sanders said.
As former NFL scout Greg Gabriel was quick to remind me, the Bears only have 45 formal visits to use with prospects this week. The fact they’re using them to look at top tight ends indicates general manager Ryan Poles is considering adding a top prospect at tight end to pair with Cole Kmet for the 2024 season.
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