Bears trade TE Adam Shaheen to Dolphins for 2021 conditional sixth-round pick

The Bears have traded tight end Adam Shaheen to the Dolphins for a 2021 conditional sixth-round pick, Pro Football Talk reported on Saturday.

EDIT: The Bears announced the details of the trade on Sunday, and it’s for a guaranteed 7th-rounder that could become a 6th if certain conditions are met.

Shaheen, 25, was the No. 45 pick in the 2017 NFL draft coming out of Division II Ashland. Heralded for his size and receiving ability in college, he was unable to live up to expectations that came with his second-round billing. He struggled with injuries in his three years with the Bears, missing 18 games in the past two seasons. Even when he did manage to stay on the field, his production was lackluster, as he finished with career-high season totals of 12 catches, 127 yards and three touchdowns in 2017. He failed to reach double-digit catches or over 100 yards in a single season after his rookie campaign.

The Bears save $1.2 million from sending Shaheen away. Given the rumblings surrounding a decrease in salary cap numbers going forward, as well as Chicago’s own financial struggles, it made sense to unload the underwhelming tight end. His odds of making the team appeared to be slim given the team’s additions of Jimmy Graham, Cole Kmet and Demetrius Harris this offseason, so the fact the Bears managed to get anything in return for him is a good value.