Chicago Bears Waive Ex-Cal TE Jake Tonges

Tonges was waived with an injury designation, so he could miss the entire 2023 season

It appears former Cal tight end Jake Tonges may have to sit out the 2023 NFL season.

Tonges was waived by the Chicago Bears on Tuesday with an undisclosed injury designation. If he clears waivers he will revert to the injured-reserve list, and he would miss the 2023 season unless he reached an injury settlement with the team.

Tonges, 24, was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent last year and made Chicago's 2023 regular-season roster as a rookie in large part because he could play both fullback and tight end. In fact, he was listed as a fullback on Chicago's roster to begin the 2023 regular season.

He spent part of the 2023 season on the Bears' practice squad.

Tonges appeared in four regular-season games for the Bears last season, and played 16 offensive snaps. He was targeted for one pass, which was an incompletion. He also played 11 special-teams snaps.

Most of his playing time came in the 2023 season opener, when he was on the field for nine offensive snaps in a 19-10 victory over the 49ers.

.The Bears signed veteran free agent tight end Marcedes Lewis in the offseason, and this week signed rookie tight end Lachlan Pitts. That made Tonges expendable.

Tonges caught 47 passes for 624 yards and four touchdowns in his four seasons at Cal. In his final season at Cal in 2021, Tonges had 22 receptions for 278 yards and two touchdowns.

Cover photo of Jake Tonges is by Joe Nicholson, USA TODAY Sports

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