NEWSLETTER
After watching the the Chicago Bears’ tight ends deliver little to no production on the field this season, the need to upgrade the position is going to be something we’ll follow on a borderline obsessive level throughout the offseason.
Between now and the time the offseason ends, we’ll sort through a myriad of candidates who could become available via the draft, free agency, and even trades. Among them figures to be Eric Ebron, whose time in Indianapolis appears to be coming to an end just one season after being a Colts Pro Bowl representative in 2018.
Colts GM Chris Ballard was straight-forward in his remarks when asked about Ebron’s future with the team:
Ballard: Eric Ebron. 'We'll probably move on.''
Short and sweet.
— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) January 2, 2020
As for Ebron’s reaction:
https://twitter.com/Ebron85/status/1212777347956523008?s=20
Well, that’s pretty self-explanatory. The Colts don’t want Ebron back. And in turn, Ebron is looking forward to his next opportunity. At age 26 and on the cusp of free agency in March, Ebron should have plenty of suitors. But will the Bears be one of them?
Should the team have a desire to improve at the position with a free agent target, Ebron should be at the top of the list of players the Bears target at the position. Back in 2018, Ebron hauled in 66 catches, gained 750 yards, and scored 13 touchdowns — all career bests. It was the breakout campaign the Lions hoped he would have during his tenure in Detroit after taking him with the 10th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft (or to put it another way, four selections ahead of all-world defensive lineman Aaron Donald … oops).
Ebron pieced together a disappointing 2019 with just 31 catches, 375 receiving yards, and only three touchdowns, but a player with his prospect pedigree and upside entering his age 27 season makes him worth taking a look.
As does his relationship with quarterback Mitch Trubisky.
Ebron and Trubisky are North Carolina products, and the two Tar Heels have kept in touch since coming to the pros. Before their 2017 matchup, Geoff Robinson of The Detroit News noted that Ebron shared some advice on handling distractions as a rookie, while also offering words of encouragement regarding his future in the league. Ebron also shared an on-campus story of the buzz Trubisky generated when he was a freshman at Chapel Hill.
This is quite the anecdote:
Lions tight end Eric Ebron was heading into his final year at North Carolina as the big man on campus. People were already talking about how highly, not if, he’d be drafted.
Then one day a freshman quarterback walks into the building, and starts throwing lasers.
“He was on the practice squad,” Ebron said, “and I was just amazed how well he threw the damn football. I mean, there isn’t a place he couldn’t put the football. And I can’t wait for him to develop in this league. I told him that. ‘You can do this, bro. There’s a lot of people we played with that come into the NFL, and I’m like, ehhh? But You? You can do this.”
Trubisky, as a freshman, caught Ebron’s eyes as a senior. And with Ebron set to hit free agency and Trubisky’s team needing a tight end, the match feels too good to be true. Not that the Bears should make a decision like this based on Trubisky’s preferences, but even if you put that aside, Ebron would provide an immediate upgrade to the tight ends room. And yeah, I guess it couldn’t hurt to bring on someone Trubisky has a good rapport with while he is on the last year of his rookie deal.
I suppose the big hurdles here could be in how much salary cap room the Bears have to play with in their pursuit of a tight end and what type of demand there will be for Ebron on the open market. Chicago won’t be the only team coveting a tight end, especially one who will play 2020 in his age 27 season. Coming off a down year might drive down Ebron’s asking price, but that one magical year is something teams look at as a reason to shell out some considerable dollars for the talented tight end.
Let’s add Ebron’s name to the watch list for now and see how the offseason market develops before free agency begins in March.
