Chicago Bears: 3 Things to watch for in Hall of Fame Game 2018

3. Adam Shaheen taking a big step or not?

Coming into the 2017 NFL Draft, the buzz around Ashland tight end Adam Shaheen started to grow. Yes, there was a good chance that no one had ever seen the young man play prior to tape of him starting to make its way around, but once the tape was put on, it was hard not to be impressed. He was a massive body at 6-6, 270 pounds, but also possessed unique and jaw-dropping athleticism for a young player his size.

However, no one then could’ve expected that Shaheen would be taken as high as the Bears elected to, selecting the tight end with the 45th overall pick in the draft. Considering how high he was taken, many thought that he could see a somewhat significant role in the Chicago offense as a rookie. That ultimately ended up not being the case though. Shaheen managed just 12 receptions on 14 targets for 127 yards last season. Though he also had three touchdowns, it was an overall lackluster year.

Despite the free-agent addition of Trey Burton for the Bears this offseason, Shaheen should play an even bigger role in the offense in the 2018 season. And with the starters (a.k.a. Burton) likely to see small roles on Thursday in the Hall of Fame Game, we could get a look at the type of damage that the second-year tight end is capable of inflicting on opposing defenses.