Adam Shaheen’s breakout was real … ly short-lived.
It may have appeared as though the second-round tight end turned the corner in Week 11 against the Lions, when he played a season-high 46 snaps (including a season-most 20 passing snaps), caught a touchdown, and was Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded tight end for his efforts. But what happened in the weeks that followed is nothing short of disappointing.
Shaheen has played just 26 snaps in the last two games after playing 46 against Detroit. He was on the field for just nine of the 37 offensive plays run by the Bears against the 49ers – or 24.3 percent of the total offensive plays. So much for not wanting to slow down the progress Shaheen was making.
When asked about Shaheen’s decreasing playing time during Monday’s meeting with the media at Halas Hall, Head Coach John Fox blamed the lack of plays run by the offense and talked about how much he liked Shaheen.
Fox isn’t wrong, but his defense serves as an admission of guilt in a sense.
The only team that runs a lower volume of offensive plays is the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bears average 57.3 offensive snaps per game. So even if the Bears had reached 57 snaps in Week 13 against the 49ers, that would have brought Shaheen’s total to around 14 because he was used on just 24 percent of the snaps.
On Wednesday, Offensive Coordinator Dowell Loggains hinted that Shaheen improving at practice could increase his chances at playing on Sundays. Loggains added the Bears are trying to “expand [Shaheen’s] package” and get him a higher volume of plays.
On the surface, Loggains’ assessment seems logical. HOWEVER, the concept of trying to expand Shaheen’s package comes three weeks after he played on 73 percent of the team’s offensive plays. And when the Bears did allow for an expanded package, Shaheen produced his best game of the season.
And to think, Shaheen’s play didn’t go unnoticed by Loggains, who said the following on November 11:
Dowell Loggains when asked if Dion Sims’ return would impact Adam Shaheen’s snaps: “We don’t want to slow down [Shaheen’s] progress. … He’s earned the playing time the last two weeks."
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) November 22, 2017
“It’s clear that Bears’ Offensive Coordinator Dowell Loggains is at a point where he is more invested in developing Shaheen because of what he has done with the opportunity that was put at his feet.”
Shaheen’s future might be bright, but finding playing time in the present seems to be somewhat of a challenge for this coaching staff.