Bear Digest

Derrick Henry's Fullback Signed by Bears

The addition of a blocking fullback to the Bears roster is a new twist for the team and possibly the result of Luke Getsy's past ties to a Packers team that used a fullback.

Gene Chamberlain

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 In a rarity, the Bears have a legitmate fullback on the roster.

Former Tennessee Titans fullback Khari Blasingame agreed to a contract with the Bears after three years as an occasional blocking back for Derrick Henry and also a special teams player.

Blasingame announced the signing himself on Instagram.

Fullbacks are not used extensively in today's NFL and often they have dual roles. Blasingame is big enough to be either a power back for short yardage or a fullback at 6-foot, 233 pounds.

He made 10 receptions for 97 yards and dropped two passes, while rushing just three times for 6 yards in three seasons.

Blasingame got on the field for 317 offensive snaps in three seasons and played almost half of the Titans' special teams plays. He missed five games last year with a knee injury.

It's been uncommon for the Bears to have an actual fullback on their roster.

Last year they signed former Ravens fullback Ben Mason to their practice squad but did not give him a contract after the season ended.

Michael Burton was their last fullback who had a real role in 2018.

They had lined tight end J.P. Holtz up in the backfield at times in the last three seasons but Holtz was a restricted free agent who wasn't tendered an offer and is now a free agent. He hadn't caught a pass since 2019.

Typically in this Shanahan style of offense, fullbacks have had roles.

Kyle Juszczyk with the 49ers has been both a receiver and blocker but occasionally gets a carry in short yardage.

Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy was an assistant on the Packers offensive staff in 2014 and 2015 when fullback John Kuhn was used as a blocker, receiver and occasional surprise runner.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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