With Dennis Pita, Dustin Keller, Martellus Bennett, Brandon Myers, Jared Cook and Delanie Walker available in free agency do we use a high pick on TE?

I say no. I cut Kellen Davis try and snag one of the aforementioned TE's in Free Agency and then target Travis Kelce TE out of Cincy in the mid rounds. You watch Kelce rockets up draft boards at the combine. Can't believe he wasn't selected to the Senior Bowl. I reserve the right to change my mind after the combine but I see no need to target TE in the first couple rounds so long as we add a TE in FA. Now if we don't then maybe we need to target 2 in the draft and that is a conversation that can happen down the road.

I agree on Kelce. I've been high on him too. Really interested to see how the top guys work out at the combine.  I know he's got straight line speed, good hands, and they used him like a pro TE (inline, slot, split wide, as a FB) but my only question on he and the other top guys is how they change direction.  IMO the two most important things for a TE are hands and change of direction (i.e. Gates/Gonzalez).  The guy from Rice looks to have all the physical tools but it sounds like he's got dickfingers.

I think a fourth, fifth is okay. I like Dustin kellen in FA

Sign Jared Cook and use the 6th round pick on Bama TE Mike Williams.

I'd love to snag Pitta, but he's a restricted free-agent and I seriously doubt the Ravens let him go anywhere, after he proved to be a reliable target this season. His teammate, Dickson is also a RFA, but it's less likely the Ravens would tender him, but who knows?

Keller is always hurt, Cook is inconsistent, Myers is nothing special, Walker works better in SF due to the offense and Bennett had a good year.

If I had to choose one, I think I'd go with Keller, though.

BUT, that wouldn't stop me from drafting a TE either...not in the least. I don't see any way that 19 receptions, mediocre blocking and 60 dropped passes justifies keeping Kellen Davis for another season; he's just awful! Spaeth is also due a nice chunk of change and it is possible that the Bears let him go as well. Then there's Adams, who might be our best receiving TE on the roster but that doesn't mean much, considering his "competition."

Point being, add a TE and draft one.

Edit: I'd also like to add a name to the list of potential free-agent TE's...John Phillips who was Witten's backup this season in Dallas. The Cowboys rarely use a 2-TE set so many haven't even heard of this guy. Good hands, solid blocker. He may not be the "burner" to stretch the middle of the field, but he's a reliable target nonetheless. Him as a #2 and draft a stud TE...that would make me smile.

I like Ertz in the draft if he falls to the 2nd round. If not o line is too pressing a need not to go with in round 1. I say draft the best OT, C or OG available.

Sign Dallas Clark to a 1 year contract like Tampa did.....he knows how to get open.

I don't think I'd go the Dallas Clark route. He's coming off of 3 consecutive down years, full of injuries. Last season was the first season in the last 5 I believe, in which Clark played a full 16 game season. Probably wouldn't be the worst signing in the world, but certainly not one I would prefer.

If we are going to go the aged veteran TE route, then I think I'd prefer Ben Watson, because of his blocking skills, but still draft a young TE early.

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--- msqboxer2011 wrote:

Sign Dallas Clark to a 1 year contract like Tampa did.....he knows how to get open.

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I guess it depends on Emery's philosophy, is he looking for a Mike Ditka type like JA said when they cut loose of Greg Olsen?

The best free agent signing the Bears can make this off-season, in my opinion, is Jared Cook.  Yeah, he's been inconsistent.  But I think that's entirely to do with the amount of talent around him.  Which is to say there's zero. He'd be a huge addition, and it'd allow us to focus elsewhere in the draft.

msqboxer2011 wrote: Sign Dallas Clark to a 1 year contract like Tampa did.....he knows how to get open.

He knows how to get open, but he can't do it because he's old and slow.

If I had to rank them based on how much I like the fit and what I think it will cost, I'd go something like:

1. Jared Cook
2. Jermichael Finley
3. Eifert/Ertz in the first, depending on their workout #s
4. Dustin Keller
5. Fred Davis

I think TE is every bit the need that any single OL position is. As a whole, sure, the OL is the bigger need. But we desperately need a real tight end.

I'd rather use FA for the O-line , and draft a TE even if it's @ 20. He would be our most productive #1 pick in years. Ertz or Eiffert(spelling). Why overpay for a FA TE?

You could argue that TE is a bigger hole than the OL.

IMO it is the biggest hole based on production, quality of play, depth, etc. but your comparing a singular position of lesser importance to a collective group(5) of the upmost importance.

A better OL will improve the offense as a whole. Use TEs less for blocking, more time for receivers and the qb to make plays, open holes for the RB...

Regardless, both the OL(multiple positions) and TE must be addressed this offseason.

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--- Lightborn09 wrote:

You could argue that TE is a bigger hole than the OL.

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I'd actually like to see what Delanie Walker could do as The Man at the TE position on a new team.  He can't be that expensive & as a receiving TE, I think he could be a nice weapon based on what we've seen in semi-limited opportunities in SF...

I just cried tears while laughing reading this.......I mean real freaking tears

Ontherebound wrote: I agree on Kelce. I've been high on him too. Really interested to see how the top guys work out at the combine.  I know he's got straight line speed, good hands, and they used him like a pro TE (inline, slot, split wide, as a FB) but my only question on he and the other top guys is how they change direction.  IMO the two most important things for a TE are hands and change of direction (i.e. Gates/Gonzalez).  The guy from Rice looks to have all the physical tools but it sounds like he's got dickfingers.

I think Cook is inconsistent becasue of his Qb. I also Believe Phillips is a hell of a player ! I was really high on him when he came out of TCU.....

Bearsfan247 wrote: I'd love to snag Pitta, but he's a restricted free-agent and I seriously doubt the Ravens let him go anywhere, after he proved to be a reliable target this season. His teammate, Dickson is also a RFA, but it's less likely the Ravens would tender him, but who knows?

Keller is always hurt, Cook is inconsistent, Myers is nothing special, Walker works better in SF due to the offense and Bennett had a good year.

If I had to choose one, I think I'd go with Keller, though.

BUT, that wouldn't stop me from drafting a TE either...not in the least. I don't see any way that 19 receptions, mediocre blocking and 60 dropped passes justifies keeping Kellen Davis for another season; he's just awful! Spaeth is also due a nice chunk of change and it is possible that the Bears let him go as well. Then there's Adams, who might be our best receiving TE on the roster but that doesn't mean much, considering his "competition."

Point being, add a TE and draft one.

Edit: I'd also like to add a name to the list of potential free-agent TE's...John Phillips who was Witten's backup this season in Dallas. The Cowboys rarely use a 2-TE set so many haven't even heard of this guy. Good hands, solid blocker. He may not be the "burner" to stretch the middle of the field, but he's a reliable target nonetheless. Him as a #2 and draft a stud TE...that would make me smile.

Getting one of these second tier TEs and then going after one in the draft makes tons of since.

i understand about davis how bad he was this yr  so i think we can live with out him but what about spaeth he's good at blocking and perhaps we can develpoe him to catch some passes  also i think we need to see what e.rod can be so i'm not that sold on signing a te i think we look at what we have on roster and decide whowe can let go and how we can perhaps develope let me davis  and e.rod or spaeth and e.rod

spaeth makes a lot of $ so i wouldn't be surprise if we let him go

Let's just hope our new GM is a better evaluator of talent than JA.  The fact that they threw so much money at Kellen Davis was an absolute joke.  He was never more than "Mr. Potential," someone with size and speed who wasn't much of a football player.