In an ideal world, the Bears wouldn't be searching for a tight end this offseason. Instead, Trey Burton, their prized free-agent from 2018, should be the athletic playmaker who's scoring touchdowns and racking up yardage consistent with his $8 million-per-year salary.
But that isn't the world the Bears are in right now. Burton has just six touchdowns after two seasons in Chicago, and none of them came in 2019. He had just 14 catches last season in what was a year defined by injury and underwhelming play.
Burton's failures will force GM Ryan Pace back into the free-agent market to find a viable alternative at the position for Matt Nagy's offense, and while high-priced names like Atlanta's Austin Hooper and Indianapolis' Eric Ebron are often the first two names mentioned as possibilities, a new candidate for the job was just made available.
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Delanie Walker has been one of the NFL's better weapons at tight end during his career with the Titans. He had at least 800 yards receiving from 2014-2017 in a stretch of production that was only disrupted the last two seasons because of injury. He's appeared in just eight games since 2018 (seven last season) and lost ground to Jonnu Smith, an ascending young talent on Tennessee's roster.
But that doesn't mean Walker can't play anymore. Sure, he isn't what he once was as a wide receiver convert who outplayed his scouting report's expectations since joining the 49ers as a sixth-round pick in 2006, but he can still contribute in a tight-end friendly offense.
Now 35, Walker is in the twilight of his career. He isn't a long-term solution, but he's the perfect insurance policy for a Bears team that's still hoping for the best from Burton but has to go into 2020 expecting the worst. Or, at the very least, expect more of the same.
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Maybe Walker isn't an every-down player anymore. But as a receiver-only, he can still produce. And he won't cost much; 35-year-old tight ends never do. Pace could lure Walker to Chicago on a one-year deal that's loaded with incentives. It would be a low-risk, high-reward transaction.
Adding Walker wouldn't prevent the Bears from using a second-round pick on a tight end, either. In fact, having an established and respected veteran like Walker in the locker room is the exact kind of mentor Chicago should want for any rookie they add.
The Bears' alleged championship window won't remain open forever. Targeting a proven commodity like Walker would be a smart and calculated move to get Matt Nagy's offense closer to it's fullest potential in 2020.
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