Bears promote tight end Jesper Horsted to active roster

The Bears have promoted tight end Jesper Horsted to the active roster, the team announced on Wednesday.

Horsted had previously spent the 2019 season on the Bears’ practice squad. After not putting up production in the first two preseason games—he missed Chicago’s Week 1 matchup against the Panthers—he totaled 8 receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns in the final two matchups.

The 6-foot-3, 237-pound tight end was previously an All-American wide receiver at Princeton, where he amassed 196 catches, 2,703 yards and 28 touchdowns over his collegiate career. He also played as a centerfielder for Princeton’s baseball team before focusing solely on football.

With Trey Burton on the injured reserve and Adam Shaheen nursing a foot injury, Chicago is thin at tight end. Ben Braunecker, J.P. Holtz and Bradley Sowell are currently the only active players at the position, and given the unit’s cumulative lack of receiving ability, Horsted gives the unit some desperately needed pass-catching value.