Thread: Bears Analysis; Tight Ends (You Know, Those Guys We Used To Throw To)

Bears analysis: Passing interest in tight ends

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Bears tight end Kellen Davis looks for running room at Oakland on Nov.27, 2011. (Chris Sweda/Tribune Photo)

• Related
• Should the Bears have kept tight end Greg Olsen instead of trading him to Carolina?
  
  
  • Yes. Playoffs proving that pass-catching tight ends are a must in the NFL.
  • No. Getting third-round draft pick for undersized Olsen was a good move.
  
  
  

By Brad Biggs, Tribune reporter 8:25 a.m. CST, January 17, 2012

Seventh in a 10-part series

In four divisional-round NFL playoff games last the weekend, three tight ends had 100-yard receiving games and another, New England’s Aaron Hernandez, led his team in rushing.

As the Patriots other tight end Rob Gronkowski was tying an NFL playoff record with three touchdown receptions Saturday night in a 45-10 demolition of the Denver Broncos, former Chicago Bears tight end Greg Olsen reacted on Twitter. He pointed out the Bears had a tight end making plays for them in the postseason a year ago.

He’s right. Olsen caught three passes for 113 yards with a 58-yard touchdown in the 35-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round. It was his second-to-last game in a Bears uniform as he was traded to the Carolina Panthers on the eve of training camp.

In all, tight ends made 41 receptions for 652 yards and eight touchdowns in the NFL over the weekend. San Francisco’s Vernon Davis led the way with seven catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Gronkowski had 10 receptions for 145 yards and New Orleans’ Jimmy Graham had five catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns.

It was a good look at what the Bears didn’t have in their offense this past season when Kellen Davis and Matt Spaeth combined for 25 receptions for 256 yards and seven touchdowns. The position's focus under Mike Martz was on blocking for the running game when elsewhere tight ends were being targeted more than ever. The 25 catches for Bears tight ends was the lowest production at the position in the NFL.

Roll call: Kellen Davis (unrestricted free agent), Matt Spaeth (signed through 2013), Andre Smith (signed through 2013), Kyle Adams (signed through 2013).

2011 review: The trade of Olsen to the Panthers was made for multiple reasons. First, Martz never has featured the position in the passing game. He had Davis in San Francisco and in 2008 he kept Davis in as an in-line blocker on more than 250 snaps. Yes, the 49ers had real issues with their offensive line and particularly at tackle, but one way to take the pressure off the line is to have success throwing to an athletic tight end like Davis. Martz wasn’t interested and while he said the right things about Olsen, he prefers wide receivers in the route scheme. Second, the Bears didn’t feel comfortable giving Olsen the money he was seeking in a contract extension, especially with Martz not enamored with the idea of using him in that way. So, former general manager Jerry Angelo made a move to help in the future, flipping Olsen for a third-round draft pick. It didn’t do a thing to help the team in 2011 but it will aid his replacement provided the draft pick pans out.

With Olsen out of the picture, the Bears continued a subtle shift in personnel to become more of a running team by signing Spaeth in free agency to a $7 million, three-year contract. He earned $3 million of that this past season when he and Davis combined as a blocking tandem in a running game that was the team’s most productive since 1991.

Davis continued to be a red-zone target in the offense and finished with a team-high five touchdown receptions -- two more than the next-closest player, rookie wide receiver Dan Sanzenbacher. He now has nine touchdown receptions in the last three seasons in a total of 28 catches. That’s almost a score every three receptions. But no one would say he took off in the passing game like the team expected at the time of the Olsen trade, another underlying reason for the deal. Whether it was a lack of opportunities in Martz’s scheme or a failure by Davis to step forward, that could make for a good debate. It was probably a little bit of both. Spaeth wound up being what the Bears expected. A steady player who is a good presence in the locker room. Adams was a top special teams player until a hamstring injury forced him to injured reserve. He and Smith are developmental players moving forward as both were undrafted rookie free agents.

Free agency/draft priority: What do the Bears want to do? If new offensive coordinator Mike Tice wants to maintain the power running game, and the explosive edge rushing attack the Bears enjoyed at times, he’ll probably want to keep his tight ends in place and see Davis return in free agency. Maybe he’ll be ready to flourish and blossom in a fifth season. If Tice wants to diversify the offense, surely the Bears will look to play what will now be a game of catch-up to the rest of the league and look for the athletic kind of target that creates mismatches for opposing defenses. Coach Lovie Smith talked about Davis having all the skills necessary to be that player, but he just didn’t develop like he should have in the passing game in 2011.

Looking ahead: The new general manager probably will have a say in this matter but it would not be a surprise if the Bears pursue Davis in free agency knowing they likely can get him back with a modest investment. But one would imagine a priority also will be placed on finding a skilled addition to the passing game to help control the middle of the field for quarterback Jay Cutler. You didn’t have to watch much playoff football over the weekend to see what these dynamic players can do.

Bottom line: Trading Olsen didn’t help the Bears' passing attack in 2011 but the moves made did augment the running game. It’s time to find a way for the tight ends to start helping the quarterback by doing more than chip blocking from time to time.

Wednesday: Safeties.

bmbiggs@tribune.com

Twitter @BradBiggs


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