The Chicago Bears are bringing back a fan favorite as the team announced Monday afternoon they have signed tight end Jesper Horsted to a one-year deal as an exclusive rights free agent. He was tendered in early March.
Horsted enters his fourth season with the Bears after earning a spot on the team as an undrafted free agent in 2019 thanks to an impressive preseason performance.
The former Princeton standout had flashes of success his rookie year, catching eight passes for 87 yards and one touchdown. He was relegated to the practice squad in 2020, but worked his way back to the 53-man roster in 2021 after yet another strong preseason, playing behind Cole Kmet, Jimmy Graham, and Jesse James.
Last season, Horsted notched just six snaps on offense and caught two passes, both of which were touchdowns. He was the recipient of quarterback Justin Fields’ first touchdown pass of his career in the team’s Week 5 win against the Las Vegas Raiders. Much of his season was spent on special teams.
With Graham and James unlikely to return in 2022, however, Horsted stands to see more time on offense as the “U” tight end with Kmet at the “Y.” Listed at 6-foot-4 and 241 lbs, Horsted has shown he can be a problem for defenses and he might get to show that depending on the team’s plans at the position for the rest of the offseason.
