Bears Add Fourth Tight End to Roster
Scratch tight end off the list of pressing Bears needs for the draft, or at least move it well down the order.
The Bears on Monday signed their second unrestricted free agent tight end, bringing a hometown player back to the area in the process. Former Jacksonville tight end James O'Shaughnessy signed a one-year deal.
The Naperville North grad and former Illinois State player is 30 and has started more than nine games in his seven-year career only in 2020, but has always been a valued contributor with the Jaguars both as a blocker and receiver.
O'Shaughnessy started out in the NFL with GM Ryan Poles' old team, the Chiefs, and played 23 games in two years with three starts before being traded to New England with a 2017 sixth-round pick for a 2017 fifth-round pick.
Then the Patriots waived him before the 2017 season and Jacksonville signed him.
O'Shaughnessy played in only seven games last year due to two separate stints on injured reserve. He had a high ankle sprain, then after he returned he suffered a hip injury and was held out of the last two games.
O'Shaughnessy was on track for his best season as a receiver in 2021 after enoying his best season in 2020. He had 28 receptions in 2020, then made 24 in just seven games and 34 targets, despite missing 10 games in 2021.
Pro Football Focus last year graded O'Shaughnessy as the 14th-best pass blocker at tight end in the NFL.
The 6-foot-4, 245-pounder had 24 catches in 2018 and 14 in 2019 when he played in only five games because of an ACL tear. He has 112 career receptions for 1,108 yards and three touchdowns.
Early his career O'Shaughnessy was a big contributor on special teams for the Chiefs and Jaguars but he hasn't played more than 15% of the special teams snaps since 2018.
The Bears had already signed Jets free agent Ryan Griffin and their own tight end, Jesper Horsted, behind starter Cole Kmet. So they have four tight ends on the roster.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
