Not long after visiting Chicago, veteran tight end James O’Shaughnessy will make the city his next NFL home. The Bears announced on Monday that they have signed him to a one-year contract.
[RELATED: O’Shaughnessy Visits Bears]
O’Shaughnessy was a fifth-round pick of the Chiefs in 2015, when new Bears general manager Ryan Poles was the team’s scouting director. His two seasons there only saw him make eight catches, however, as he played a limited offensive role. Kansas City traded him to New England in 2017, but by the time that campaign started, he had been claimed off waivers by Jacksonville.
With the Jaguars, O’Shaughnessy saw much more playing time. He never topped 262 yards in a season, but averaged just under 10 yards per catch in his five seasons there. Overall, he has compiled 112 catches for 1,108 yards and three touchdowns across 80 games played.
Availability has been a problem for the 30-year-old in recent years. The 2019 and 2021 campaigns were both cut short by significant injuries. That, along with the addition of Evan Engram in free agency by the Jaguars, left O’Shaughnessy in search of a new team.
By signing with Chicago, he will join a TE room headed by Cole Kmet. The Bears also have Ryan Griffin and Jesper Horsted on the depth chart at the position. O’Shaughnessy will represent a familiar face to the new front office, as well as a veteran presence on a rebuilding offense.
Great. Job again Georgie. You hired another guy who doesn’t know how to build a team. Another TE. What a shameful situation the organization is in. I guess being a .500 team is deemed successful in the eyes of the McCaskeys
Congratulations. I didn’t realize it was even possible to be upset over a signing like this, but you proved me wrong
Yea I agree Wagner, this is a typical depth signing that every team is making at this point. If Strauss is upset at the lack of direction the Bears have had all off-season or that they invested so heavily in a QB last year but refuse to give him any protection or any weapons that I can understand. Just seems strange to specifically get upset over a depth tight end.
Poles said from the start he wouldn’t overspend on FAs and that the draft is how you build long term stability. He’s paying the price for Pace’s choices- Trubisky over Mahomes and Watson- Roquan Smith being the only first round pick in seven years that he got right- and the lack of cap space and draft capital that he accrued. There’s no easy out for Poles and it’s gonna take a couple of seasons to get back to square one. He may or may not end up being a great GM, but ya gotta give him a minute to work through the mess.
Get over yourself
Fire poles, no need for this kind of BS.
I think I’m starting a “Free Jesper” club….I keep waiting for Jesper Horsted to be the man.