Bears To Sign TE Gerald Everett

As the Bears assemble what will almost certainly be their first Caleb Williams-directed offense, they are adding a second tight end for the likely No. 1 pick to target. Gerald Everett will commit to Chicago, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweets.

Everett has bounced around since his Rams rookie contract expired, but teams have continually sought the former second-round pick as a starter. The recent Chargers and Seahawks pass catcher will be in place behind Cole Kmet in Chicago.

Despite the Bears extending Kmet last year, they are devoting some notable funds to their complementary TE post. Everett’s deal is for two years and $12MM, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who adds the veteran will receive $6.1MM fully guaranteed. Kmet is signed to a four-year, $50MM extension.

The Bears lost Darnell Mooney to a big Falcons deal earlier today, and while the team is still determining its WR2 plan, it will soon carry a solid one-two TE punch.

Everett, 29, spent the past two seasons in Los Angeles — for the exact terms he signed for in Chicago (2/12) — and totaled 966 receiving yards and seven touchdowns working with Justin Herbert (and some lesser QBs to close last season). With Herbert at the controls throughout 2022, Everett tallied 58 catches for 555 yards.

This Chicago agreement will likely come about because of new OC Shane Waldron‘s history with the South Alabama alum. Waldron was with the Rams when the team drafted him, working as Everett’s position coach in 2017, and throughout his rookie-contract duration. Everett later followed Waldron to Seattle, playing one season there — Waldron’s first as Seahawks OC — in 2021. Set to be Chicago’s new play-caller, Waldron will have a pretty good idea of Everett’s strengths and weaknesses in the scheme the veteran assistant will implement.