Bears sign TE Robert Tonyan

[UOK]

[crueltyabc]

Sure-handed F tight end. An upgrade over last year’s depth.

[wab]

Interesting.

[HurricaneBear]

I wanted a TE this off-season so this makes me happy.

[duckherd50]

Excellent addition

[Middleguard]

Prior to the draft, if Poles signs yet another TE and DE, then he will have at least as many players under contract at each position as he took into game 1 last year. Then he can go into the draft saying "BPA" with a straight face.

[dplank]

I like this one, solid depth TE

[Hoog]

Mark another low end need off our list. Poles pulling in some good one year contract guys today. Flexibility in the draft too.

[Arkansasbear]

Solid. Not flashy but I don’t think Poles will make many flashy FA signings.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

He's got a solid set of numbers behind him.

Last 3 seasons:

• 2020: 16 games (8 starts), 52 catches from 59 targets (88.1%), 576 yards (11.3 ypc), 11 TD

• 2021: 8 games (5 starts), 18 catches from 29 targets (62.1%), 204 yards (11.3y pc), 2 TD

• 2022: 17 games (3 starts), 53 catches from 67 targets (79.1%), 470 yards (8.9 ypc), 2 TD

For his career he's been targeted 176 times and only ever dropped 1 pass and that was back in his rookie season.

Seems like a nice pick up to have alongside Kmet.

[wulfy]

Like this signing very much. Move TE to compliment Inline Kmet.

[TheWorldBreaker]

I feel like he always had some back breaking catches against the Bears. Hopefully, he can do that to them now.

[The Cooler King]

Fields weapons are night and day right now, from a year ago.

[RichH55]

He should be more fully recovered from the ACL (If Im remembering correctly)

[BearsFanInMN]

What was the $ ?

Haven’t seen that but seems solid signing

[IE]

Love this. Poles removing many needs and potential distractions for using his top few round picks on the trenches.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

Bears sign a TE and water is still wet

[Grizzled]

Another GB alum, knows Getsy. Wanted another pass catching TE besides Kmet. Hopefully the Bears actually target him enough. Besides, Erin wanted the Jets to sign him so stick it on his eye.

[Atkins&Rebel]

Hope he's fully back this year. He was a TD machine his rookie year and made several nice catches all over the field. never seemed to recover that rookie magic though, even before the injury.

[Grizzled]

Another big red zone threat.

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

I had to look him up to jog my memory. Yes, totally remember that guy. Made some big catches last year, including against the Bears. If I also remember correctly, the kid is full of juice. Lots of enthusiasm and want-to in him.

[EricTighe]

Damn, I was hoping for us to waste a draft pick on one of these physically gifted TE's coming out in this draft.

But Ryan Poles says he is always up for completion in camp. Maybe he will still get one.

[IE]

Damn, I was hoping for us to waste a draft pick on one of these physically gifted TE's coming out in this draft.

But Ryan Poles says he is always up for completion in camp. Maybe he will still get one.

I'm pretty certain he'll still pick a TE. He just won't feel obligated or pressured to grab one earlier instead of OL/DL. So many good TEs come from later rounds, I think that is fine.

I like this signing for a few reasons:

- If Tonyan is healthy and can compete, it takes leverage away from Kmet. I want to re-sign Kmet but don't want to pay him the sun and the moon - he's just good & developing, and he isn't Kelce or Andrews.

- I really like Noah Gindorff from NDSU in the 7th round. He's enormous (6'6" 280) and fast/athletic for his size as an ex hoops player, and a stud blocker. And... even though it was a few years ago, he was a scoring machine with Trey Lance. He's the TE steal of the draft late. He had the highest grade of all TEs (in the PFF 90s!) but then got injured and didn't have enough snaps to be included in their final ratings. Especially after grabbing another recieving TE the Bears need a mauler TE.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Hope he's fully back this year. He was a TD machine his rookie year and made several nice catches all over the field. never seemed to recover that rookie magic though, even before the injury.

Actually that 2020 season where he scored 11 TD was his third. He didn't do much in the passing game in his first two years so I didn't bother to include them in the numbers above. He'll turn 29 at the end of April.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Fields, Kmet made Tonyan's Bears homecoming easy decision

Robert Tonyan always knew he'd play for the Bears one day.

The quarterback-turned-tight end and McHenry native finally made that dream a reality Thursday when he signed a one-year contract to play for his hometown team. There were many appealing reasons for Tonyan to leave the Green Bay Packers for a Bears team he believes has the arrow pointing straight up.

Quarterback Justin Fields was chief among them.

"Big fan of the quarterback," Tonyan told Chicago media on a Friday conference call via Zoom.

"I think he’s a mentally strong, young player. That’s hard to do when you come in the league when you have a lot of, whether it’s positive or negative things being said about you in the media, just keeping your cool and playing your game. He progressed so well throughout the year last year. We got to see that being division opponents. He’s staying in there, taking hits, getting up, popping up, kept coming back for more. That’s what you kind of want in a quarterback and a leader, someone who doesn’t quit or back down, playing through injuries or whatever it may be. I’m just super excited to be a part of that."

Tonyan is familiar with Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and his scheme. The 28-year-old tight end knows it fits his skill set well. He's a sure-handed pass-catcher who can give Fields another reliable target in the red zone. Tonyan has only dropped two passes in five seasons, per Pro Football Reference.
...

"This offense goes through the tight ends, whether it’s blocking, passing, whatever it is," Tonyan said. "And just a good pair. Cole’s a great tight end. He’s big, strong, and I think that adding that - that can complement me and him. I’m super pumped.

"I’m just excited to get in this building and get things rolling and just be a part of a team that’s ascending in the right direction."

Catching passes from Fields, reuniting with Getsy, and pairing with Kmet were all selling points for Tonyan to join the Bears.

But it's also home—where Tonyan always planned to achieve his NFL dreams.

"Did I think I’d be a tight end for the Bears? No," Tonyan said about his football journey. "But did I think I’d play for the Bears? Yeah, absolutely. In my brain I was playing for the Bears my whole life."

Full article: https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears ... y-decision

So even playing for the hated Packers this man was still a Bear at heart. That will endear him to the Chicago fanbase.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Another article on Tonyan:

New Chicago Bears TE Robert Tonyan on switching sides in the rivalry with the Green Bay Packers: ‘I know I made the right decision.’

Robert Tonyan’s NFL career blossomed over six seasons while catching passes from Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

But all the while Tonyan, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound tight end, kept in his basement the jersey and autograph from a childhood hero, former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Tonyan, 28, grew up in McHenry and played quarterback for McHenry East before moving to wide receiver at Indiana State and tight end with the Packers. His NFL dreams along the way often were colored in orange and blue, and this week he made that a reality by signing a one-year contract with the Bears.
...

"I’m just super pumped to be here.”
...

He had a career year in 2020 with 52 catches for 586 yards and 11 touchdowns, but his 2021 season was cut nine games short because of an ACL tear. He recovered in time to play in all 17 games in 2022 and had 53 catches for 470 yards and two touchdowns. But it took a while to feel like himself on the field again.

“It’s difficult because you don’t play football for a whole year, and your body and mind kind of check out of the actual football aspect of things,” he said. “Neurologically speaking, your body is not used to those movements and playing and straining and stuff like that. But toward the end of the year, the last four games after our late bye week, I started feeling like myself again and being able to put my brand of football out there that I was seeking. I just ended strong, and it gave me a better feeling about going into the offseason and going into this process.”

Tonyan said he spent most of Thursday talking with Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, who worked with him in Green Bay. Tonyan said he thinks he can be a good complement to Kmet. And he wants to bring another playmaker to the offense for quarterback Justin Fields, from whom he saw good progress last season while watching from afar.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles said in a statement that Tonyan is “a great addition to our roster with his familiarity of the scheme and pass-catching ability.”
...

Tonyan didn’t necessarily need to know the details of the Packers’ quarterback plans before making a decision on his next move.

“Just holding my future in my own hands was the biggest thing for me this year,” Tonyan said. “Making the right decision, the next move just very cautiously. I think — not I think — I believe, I know I made the right decision.”
...

After going undrafted, he joined the Detroit Lions but was cut before the 2017 season and eventually latched on with the Packers.

“Some people’s paths and destinations are just different, and it just kind of goes to show my personality is just keep going,” Tonyan said. “There are going to be ups and downs, but if you can just stay even-keel internally, just have a vision and the goals at the end, and when you see that light at the end of the tunnel, just kind of take advantage of it.

“Just trust the process and home in on your own craft and your own work. Worry about yourself. Don’t compare. Just keep working and things are going to work out for you.”

Full article: https://sports.yahoo.com/chicago-bears- ... ml?src=rss

[RichH55]

Reading to much into Pressers Rant Take 8,000

[The Cooler King]

Does Poles specifically target hometown kids? Can't remember ever having this many hometown guys on the roster (though Kmet wasn't his add)

[Noots]

This is likely viewed as another under the radar signing. But man, Kmet/Tonyan is actually a really strong pairing. It’s not the best in the league or anything like that, but when you consider the lack of dependable targets that could get Fields the short-range stick it in there throws, having a second TE with what will probably be the best hands on the team, this is huge.

As captain obvious, we’ll need to see Fields growing in his ability to take what’s given to him in the short game for this season. Giving him Tonyan is a really nice piece. We’re still a loooong way from getting through FA and still the draft. One piece at a time, Poles is re-shaping this roster, not overspending, keeping flexible enough to pounce on great value.

[dplank]

Gets a like just cause I’m happy to see you post Noots!