USA Today
The Reasons Why Adam Shaheen Is Still With Bears
The handwriting didn't merely go up on the wall for tight end Adam Shaheen when the Bears drafted Notre Dame's Cole Kmet in Round 2.
It was more like they set up a flashing neon sign: Available Soon, One Tight End.
While Shaheen's time with the team might seem short-lived, there are possible reasons he is still on the roster. After all, they could have cut him already if it was to be his eventual fate.
Cutting him now after June 1 or a week ago made no difference. They save the same $1.27 million against the cap but have to count his $609,637 guaranteed bonus regardless.
Here's why Shaheen could still be with the Bears on a roster that also has:
- Kmet
- Jimmy Graham
- Demetrius Harris
- Jesper Horsted
- J.P. Holtz
- Ben Braunecker
- Darion Clark
- Eric Saubert
- Dax Raymond.
1. Trade Value
This is by far the most likely scenario. Shaheen might not be valued by Bears fans but Pace did spend a second-round pick on him in 2017. If they keep Shaheen around through training camp, at some point a team with a preseason or training camp injury to a veteran tight end might be willing to part with a draft pick, maybe a seventh-rounder, for Shaheen. If they really wanted to bring him in, they wouldn't want to wait until he is cut just before the regular season and would trade. Remember, Shaheen wasn't drafted to play in Matt Nagy's offense. When he was a rookie, he caught a career-high 12 passes and played in just 13 games, missing the final three due to a chest injury. He used his 6-foot-6 frame well with three touchdown catches inside the red zone. Shaheen didn't just play an in-line tight end spot then. He was also moving around that season, and lined up as a backfield blocker on occasion. Within Nagy's offense, he became the "Y" or in-line tight end while Trey Burton was the "U" or move-tight end.
2. The Pulse
If there's still something to Shaheen's game he has yet to show, it could still surface. The Bears don't want to be hasty. He's only been active 27 of 48 possible games. Besides the three games with the chest injury, he missed eight on injured reserve in 2018 with a foot injury, returned and missed another game with a concussion, then missed the final seven games last year with a foot injury. It's possible he might have been entirely healthy for only a dozen games in his career, and if healthy could show more in a fourth season.
No one says you can only have Kmet as the Y this year. In fact, most tight ends need a season to develop and if Shaheen can actually contribute something then he could be a valued backup. He has played special teams when he's been active.
3. Pecking Order
Shaheen might simply be too high in the pecking order at the Y to cut now, anyway. It's not apparent Saubert, Raymond or Clark would be considered specficially for the Y or the U. Holtz is a jack of all trades who can line up as a fullback or at either tight end. Braunecker has played both positions but seems better suited to U than Y. Horsted is definitely a U because he's just 6-foot-3, but a U can get away with this. Burton was only 6-2. Harris is also a "Y" but Nagy's description of him made it seem as if he might be a limited-use player, someone they deploy in the red zone or on short yardage as a 6-7 former basketball player with good leaping ability. So Shaheen might essentially be the only other player like Kmet on the roster.
4. Camp Body
This is a difficult position to play. Former Bears general manager Jerry Angelo used to say safeties and tight ends were the toughest positions to keep healthy. Safeties move fast to various places and deliver hits in hazardous ways. Tight ends are basically undersized linemen trying to operate in the open, athletically and awkwardly at times while taking hits mostly from the safeties. Tight ends get hurt and it helps to have a good group of them for practice repetitions in camp to keep the starters from getting injured or worn out.
5. Works Cheap
The $1.9 million total cap hit for him is low and if he does suddenly develop, they aren't benefiting by having a cheaper player on board.
6. Groomsman
He's there to help groom Kmet. This is a completely silly, trite and overused notion for any player. These guys are out competing for jobs and big cash and the only time you'll see someone being groomed is by a veteran who knows it's his final year and decides to help and also has the time to do it. Othewise, it's a word of encouragement or tip here and there but no "grooming."
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
