But Chicago Bears rookie Ben Braunecker isnt most college kids. The Bears were disappointed with their tight-end production last season, so they brought in new talent this offseason, drafting Cole Kmet in the second round while signing Jimmy Graham and Demetrius Harris. Parsons was quick to note that Simmons has all the tools and occasionally . Braunecker is still in the concussion protocol and didn't practice Monday, Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Braunecker now has a total of 10 receptions in 45 games. Braunecker isnt the only one with this interest on the Bears linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe was pre-med at Western Kentucky and his father is an associate professor of public health at California State University San Marcos. Braunecker talked about that fit (also according to Mayer): "I think a nice, strong, reliable Y tight end is what the Bears are looking for right now, so Im just very thankful to be given the opportunity as an undrafted free agent to come into a system and to work with coach Frank Smith, whos great in my first impression at giving me the tools and the opportunity to be able to step in and hopefully make the roster.". Braunecker is still working through the league's concussion protocol and will miss a third straight game. However, the CBS reporter . Powered by. "It's been interesting and troubling for me as well," Braunecker said Monday morning on the Mully & Haugh Show. Braunecker signed a two-year contract with the Bears on Monday, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports. Chandler Parsons: Ben Simmons Is Now a Minimum Player Braunecker put up career numbers with the Bears last season, logging six catches for 59 yards and his first touchdown across 11 games. Most college kids get summer jobs moving furniture, mowing lawns, or working in retail. TE Ben Braunecker earned $2,578,956 in his NFL career. 15 Best Free Agent Acquisitions of All-Time, Franchise tag and transition tag windows open for Chicago Bears and NFL, How the Chicago Bears can control the running back market in 2023, The Chicago Bears can own the city of Chicago moving forward, Chicago Bears NFL Combine Preview: Quarterback, 7 best free agent tackle options for Chicago Bears. These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. #Bears released veteran TE Ben Braunecker. Braunecker (concussion) didn't practice Tuesday, Stacey Dales of NFL Network reports. Doing a lot of yoga, a lot of body-weight exercise right now. The offseason is the time to do that. Theres a lot of good information and a lot of misinformation out there right now about it. There are some pretty good-sized rocks out here. Chelsea have an 80m (71m) buy-back clause on Tammy Abraham, Ben Jacobs has told GiveMeSport. Several analysts were surprised by Brauneckers release, as he knows the offense well, and has been a solid presence on special teams. Braunecker, who majored in molecular and cellular biology, would like to become a doctor specializing in infectious diseases when his football career is over. Boots, hats, denim, anything goes! Subtractions in #Bears TE corps were inevitable but bummer for just released Ben Braunecker, whod developed into a decent special teams performer. With the COVID-19 pandemic gripping the world, Braunecker has been fielding plenty of calls and texts from people in the NFL wanting to get his take. [4], Braunecker attended the NFL Combine and was the fastest in the 60-yard shuttle, was ranked second in the vertical leap, broad jump, three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle and had the third-highest repetitions in the bench press of all tight ends. The questions dont pop up too often because everyones so focused, but when they do, its almost a nice relief to me to bring what I know to the table and make myself useful. Bears Begin Roster Cuts, Release Tight End Ben Braunecker The Harvard graduate was a fun story in Chicago. [13][14] He was promoted to the active roster on November 7, 2017. Im thankful that this isnt apocalyptic, but its still concerning and Im just hoping we can get through it with minimal lives lost and minimal damage to the economy. A couple months ago, people were saying, Well the flu kills 20,000 to 40,000 of people every year and nobodys talking about it. But as the cases doubled and everything went exponential, I began to see, wow, this is something pretty serious. July 23, 2020. He doesnt have near the special teams value Braunecker does. Since arriving in Chicago as an undrafted free agent from Harvard in 2016, Braunecker has appeared in 47 games with seven starts over four seasons, catching 13 passes for 142 yards and one touchdown while also regularly contributing on special teams. Lasting four seasons in this capacity on the same team is a pretty impressive achievement. Simmons has been one of the most polarizing athletes in recent memory because of how unique his career arc has been compared to most players considered to be All-Star level players. Despite having showcased a step forward in his development,. All Rights Reserved. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. Come in your best western outfit! It might bring some people joy or relief from everything thats going on to see the NFL still operating pretty rapidly. Harvard's Ben Braunecker bright tight end prospect for Bears in many The former 2nd rounder has been close to useless most of his time in Chicago, going between near-invisible stretches on the field to stints in the training room nursing one injury after another. His absence leaves Jesper Horsted and J.P. Holtz as the top tight ends in Chicago. Shaheens window passed the moment the Bears handed $16 million to Jimmy Graham and spent a 2nd round pick on Cole Kmet. What do you think we should be doing? Brains and Braunecker: How a Harvard boy got the Bears offense going Parsons thinks the 26-year-old will eventually be bought out and spend the rest of his career making the league minimum. Chicago Bears: Jesper Horsted or Cordarrelle Patterson at tight end? The Chicago Bears made their first of what will become many cuts today when they released this tight end. Nets' Ben Simmons now dealing with back soreness along with knee issue Thankfully the lethality rate isnt higher, but still, I was shocked and I was one of those people whose minds had to be changed. Harvard won 3 Ivy League titles during his career, compiling a 24-4 conference record and an overall record of 36-4. Braunecker was acquired as an undrafted free agent by the Chicago Bears in 2016 and played for them until 2019. Ben Braunecker - Unsigned Free Agent - news and analysis, statistics Ranking the Bears tight ends individually by position Ben Braunecker Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family With the Bears scaling down their offensive game plan and starter Trey Burton playing limited snaps, Braunecker came through with some key catches. Sadly the failures of the 2019 season and the COVID-19 realities ended his tenure. The. Were not really used to that in the NFL world. Its also been interesting to me as well to learn alongside everybody else while this is going on. Chicago likely released him to save money, and the addition of rookie Kmet had to play a factor, as well. @Ben_Braunecker. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. This has been a little bit enlightening to me as well. Ben Braunecker was born on 7 February, 1994 in Ferdinand, IN, is an American football tight end. I follow the Bears and I hadnt ever heard of him before today. A post shared by Sydney Golic (@sydgolic). Golics wife, Christine, said he even pitched the idea of reuniting with longtime co-host Mike Greenberg, who is set to return to radio for ESPN, but the idea was rejected. The Bears on Wednesday claimed cornerback Michael Ojemudia off waivers from the Broncos and waived defensive end Taco Charlton. He's played in just 47 games over his four seasons in the NFL and the most passes he's caught in a single season for Chicago is 6 in 2019. Ben Braunecker Stats Summary | NFL.com But it seems like every conversation between people that know what Im interested in and know my background, this comes up. Braunecker caught two passes for 24 yards in the Bears' 16-14 victory over the Broncos on Sunday. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. So basically hes just eating up money and a roster spot that could be put to better use elsewhere. ! Braunecker is actually the third Bears tight end to go on injured reserve. The Best Player at the NFL Combine Went to Harvard? - WSJ He knows hes a good fit for this roster, and he knows he has an opportunity. Does it give you a greater sense of purpose? It kind of wants me to get the ball rolling with all this but in due time. With Adam Shaheen inactive, Braunecker served as the primary blocking tight end. As I mentioned, part of the reason why I wanted to get into this is because I see it as inevitable and its obviously extremely important. Ranked 7th on the roster in special teams snaps last season while appearing in 11 games total. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2e1f111c532f50 The 26-year-old Braunecker, who played his college ball at Harvard, has been with the Chicago Bears since signing with the team as a undrafted free agent in 2016. Braunecker, who caught his first NFL touchdown last November before a concussion ended his season, talked to The Athletic from Arizona and offered his perspective on the new coronavirus. Ben Braunecker (@Ben_Braunecker) / Twitter Ben Braunecker 's tenure with the Bears has come to an end. Braunecker likely will enter training camp below all three -- plus Adam Shaheen -- on the depth chart and may have a tough time making the Week 1 roster. We deliver captivating and engaging entertainment, videos, and news . Im sure its near-impossible during the season when youre already studying up on a playbook and an opponent, but have you kept up with some of the things you were studying at Harvard? 210.65.88.143 Braunecker caught two passes for nine yards in the Bears' 19-14 victory over the Giants on Sunday. The Bears on Thursday released veteran tight end Ben Braunecker. With only one legitimate tight end on the roster in Zach Miller (and all his previous injuries in tow), the Bears give Braunecker not only a great chance to make the team, but a chance to contribute as well. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. With Adam Shaheen (foot) also absent from practice this week, the Bears are preparing to roll out J.P. Holtz, Jesper Horsted and Bradley Sowell at tight end in case neither Braunecker nor Shaheen are cleared in time. Braunecker (concussion) didn't practice Thursday. What sort of blackmail material does he have that keeps him on this roster? Bill Zimmerman is an editor and featured writer for FanSideds BearGogglesOn. The Bears will give him every chanceto make this roster, and if he shows some level of promise during the preseason, you can expect the Bears, at a minimum, to keep him on the practice squad. He can still be that legitimate weapon everybody envisioned. I know the Bears equipment staff takes cleanliness very seriously, but youre in a sport with a lot of close contact. Braunecker, a core special-teams player who's entering his fifth season with the Bears, has also made two appearances on WSCR 670 AM radio shows this week to share his knowledge. Hes playing football and hes working on his doctor stuff. Shaheen doesnt fit anywhere into that picture. I tell them all the time, I can give you my unprofessional, non-medical opinion, but really, seek info from the experts. Yeah, its been quite shocking, actually. He spent the 2013-16 seasons on the Bears beat for Shaw Media publications, including the Northwest Herald, Daily Chronicle and Joliet Herald-News. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. Ben Braunecker Goes on IR With Akiem Hicks' Activation Some of your teammates have recorded PSA videos for the Bears Twitter account about flattening the curve. Harvard's Ben Braunecker bright tight end prospect for Bears in many What should the Brooklyn Nets do about Ben Simmons? I will start to do Minecraft videos now. Youre really just trying anything. Just getting really creative with workouts to stay in shape and keep your strength up. On the season, there hasn't been a Bears tight end to reach 20 yards in a game, making Braunecker and the rest of Chicago's TE corps a weak fantasy option. According to the Count's analysis of which prospects fared best, tight end Ben Braunecker was the standout performer. Infectiousdiseaseguy. The Bears on Friday placed CBs Jaylon Johnson and Kindle Vildor on injured reserve, activated RB Khalil Herbert and added CB Breon Borders, WR Nsima Webster and TE Chase Allen to the active roster. Braunecker, who caught his first NFL touchdown last November before a concussion ended his season, talked to The Athletic from Arizona and offered his perspective on the new coronavirus. Former NFL player and ESPN radio host Mike Golic has had himself quite a year so far in 2020. Braunecker hasn't taken the first step (on-field work) in his journey through the concussion protocol, let alone progress enough to be considered for an evaluation in front of an independent neurologist. Joined February 2016. Initially, I think I was guilty in underestimating how infectious and how easily transmissible this was. Ive tried doing that in-season, very minimally, and it really doesnt work that well. Follow Kevin on Twitter @kfishbain, Ben Braunecker scored his first career touchdown against the Detroit Lions last November. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Hes just the type of player that Pace and John Fox want on the roster. Braunecker started 11 games for. Chicago Bears tight end Ben Braunecker caught two passes for 24 yards in the team's 16-14 win over the Broncos in Week 2. Braunecker spent the last two summers working at the biochemistry lab at Harvards Medical School. In my opinion, if theres anything worthwhile to dedicate your entire life to, its something that has the ability to stop the world in its tracks. As long as Braunecker is sidelined, expect J.P. Holtz and Jesper Horsted to split tight end reps for the Bears. He hit injured reserve due to a concussion in December, but has since fully recovered and will be free to search for a chance with another organization. In addition to part-time duty on offense, he became a solid contributor on special teams. But, thats completely unofficial, nobodys told me anything. He caught eight passes for 87 yards and a score, but Holtz could have the edge, as he played in 14 games and started seven. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 26 years old? Were waiting on Harvard shirts as a group. Its not a surprise that a Harvard graduate can use his brain to fallback on, but the Molecular and Cellular Biology major has taken that to another level. The opportunity arose due to Adam Shaheen's (foot) absence and Trey Burton's (calf) presence on IR, but Braunecker now joins Shaheen on the injury report. More News No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. He has two passions in life: football and infectious disease. The team announced today that they've released the veteran tight end. Braunecker is more than just an undrafted free agent long shot with a high IQ. He did score his only touchdown in 2019 though, against the Detroit Lions in week 10. He fought his way onto the roster as an undrafted free agent. The Bears on Saturday added running back Darrynton Evans, quarterback Nathan Peterman and linebacker DeMarquis Gates to their active roster in advance of Sunday's road game against the Jets. Science moves pretty quickly and in-season all your energy and time has to be directed towards the games and keeping your body healthy. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. When asked about a post-football career, which is what you ask of a Harvard grad when he enters the league, the molecular and cell biology major said he wanted to be an infectious disease doctor. Ben Braunecker NFL Stats & News - rotowire.com Adam Shaheen (foot) will also be on the shelf, so J.P. Holtz, Jesper Horsted and Bradley Sowell will round out Chicago's tight-end corps. As a super-connected society as we are today, were very susceptible to transmissible or super-infectious pathogens. Harvard players considered real talents who can succeed in NFL - Sports On the plus side, hes still signed to play in 2020 for Chicago despite the fact that hes not even listed as one of the top four tight ends on the teams depth chart. With Trey Burton (calf) on injured reserve and Adam Shaheen (foot) sidelined, Braunecker had his second-straight start and was targeted three times. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. It does instill a little bit of a greater sense of purpose. I ask because we could be entering a new normal where everyone is extra-focused on being clean. 1,700 Followers. Of the four (offseasons) that Ive had, two of them Ive worked in a lab at the Harvard School of Public Health. He'll miss his second consecutive contest as a result, leaving J.P. Holtz, Jesper Horsted, Bradley Sowell and Eric Saubert as the Bears' available tight ends. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. With Ben Braunecker's touchdown catch, the Bears tight ends now have 1 for the season. Its an unprecedented time. 10 subscribers [x] 20 subscribers [x] 30 . Some draft experts had him ranked as high as sixth among tight end prospects, but ten tight ends were called at the 2016 NFL Draft, and none of them were Braunecker. Who does Ben Hull play in Coronation Street? Simpson trial of the 1990s or the murder case levied against Robert Blake in the early 2000s. Get the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about tight end Ben Braunecker on ESPN. The Bears released TE Ben Braunecker. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. In 2016, the assembled media at Halas Hall met Ben Braunecker, an undrafted rookie tight end out of Harvard. Hes been with the team since 2016. Especially given his lack of special teams presence. [5], Braunecker went undrafted in the 2016 NFL Draft and was signed by the Chicago Bears after the draft. Braunecker (concussion) was listed as a non-participant in Tuesday's practice. However, a recent announcement by Golics daughter Sydney that she just got engaged to Chicago Bears tight end Ben Braunecker will, as any father can tell you, is sure to brighten things up for him as he looks for a new job. ): 0 (17337th overall since 1960) High School: Forest Park ( IN ) 84 82 SUMMARY Career G 47 AV 0 Rec 13 Yds 142 Y/R 10.9 TD 1 FantPt 20.2 Ben Braunecker Overview Game Logs Career Postseason 2016 2017 Not too many. Chelsea now have chance to sign 71m star at Stamford Bridge He finished his college career with 68 receptions for 1,168 yards and 10 touchdowns. Seemingly on pace for a third DNP in a row Sunday at Green Bay, he'll leave tight end in the hands of J.P Holtz and Jesper Horsted. Meanwhile, Trey Burton (calf) was placed on IR last Saturday, leaving TE reps up for grabs. Braunecker was seventh on the team in special teams snaps last year, so someone will have to fill his role in that capacity. How has this impacted your day-to-day routine for whatever youd normally be doing workout-wise in March? Was that something you were pretty knowledgable about? Bears 2020 Roster Breakdown: Ben Braunecker | TE Were not shy. . Losing The Johnny Depp Trial Changed Amber Heard's Lawyers' Careers Forever With something like this happening does it make you want to pursue it even more? Its one of the reasons I wanted to get into this field because I always regarded some pandemic on some level as an inevitability. Braunecker has sat out of every practice since sustaining a concussion during Week 12's win over the Giants, making it unlikely he plays Thursday against the Cowboys. Maybe a little bit more health- and I would just say sanitation-minded than your average football player, but I understand that, especially when youre young and a professional athlete, you have a healthy immune system, so you could fight off pretty much all the little bugs that try to get into you on a daily basis. NFLDraftScout.com ranked him the sixth best tight end out of the 102 available. Bears' Ben Braunecker: Won't face Packers - CBSSports.com The news comes at an inopportune time for Braunecker, who recently announced his engagement to Sydney Golic, the daughter of former NFL player and current analyst Mike Golic. READ NEXT: If NFL Season is Cancelled, Bears Could Snag Top QB Prospect in 2021. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. Arthur Arkush (@ArthurArkush) July 23, 2020. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Current Bears TEs: Graham, Kmet, Harris, Horsted, Holtz, Saubert, Shaheen, Clark, Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) July 23, 2020. Braunecker had 13 receptions for 142. Click to reveal [16], On March 11, 2019, Braunecker signed a two-year contract extension with the Bears. Hes very motivated. The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more. Ben Braunecker shares his thoughts on coronavirus - Chicago Bears After you take a break for nine months or however long the season is, you lose a lot of skills. Partnered with the USA TODAY Sports Media Group|Powered by, Signed a 2 year $2.7 million contract extension with Chicago (CHI), Signed to the active roster by Chicago (CHI), Signed to the practice squad by Chicago (CHI), Signed a 3 year $1.62 million contract with Chicago (CHI). The gyms here are closed as well as they are in Illinois. Use of any marks, trademarks, or logos on this website shall not constitute a sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder. After 20-plus years on the radio hosting shows like The Bruno-Golic Morning Show (ESPN Radios first morning show), Mike & Mike, and Golic and Wingo, ESPN decided his work there was done when they announced on July 9 that the company would be cancelling Golics show with Trey Wingo. A timely Q&A with Bears tight end and 'resident scientist' Ben Braunecker He had high hopes for the young tight end back in 2017 and has expressed that same belief ever since. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. BIG BEN TV - YouTube That culminated in Feb. 2016, when offensive lineman Cole Toner and tight end Ben Braunecker, two prospects out of Harvard, were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. They will be the focal point at tight end this season with Demetrius Harris contributing as a blocker. What kind of objects have you found to be helpful? Horstead, who signed with the Bears as an undrafted rookie last season, played in six games for Chicago last year, starting one. CHICAGO -- The Bears have re-signed tight end Ben Braunecker to a two-year contract. Despite having showcased a step forward in his development, offseason additions Cole Kmet, Jimmy Graham and Demetrius Harris have now made . Itll always be a yes for you. Ben Braunecker Stats, News and Video - TE | NFL.com I like infectious disease, but things can change especially when you go into a four-year commitment like medical school, more training after that like residency. I can only handle one social media platform at a time. Undrafted Bears tight end planning to become a doctor - Bears Wire So stay tuned! Ben Braunecker Contract Breakdowns, Salary Cap Figures, Salaries Login Here. He had high hopes for the young tight end back in 2017 and has expressed that same belief ever since. Well see how that goes, but thats my tentative plan when football is done. Best Mnday ever. The Bears on Tuesday released veteran defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad. The Chicago Bears have begun thinning out their roster, and they have just released veteran tight end Ben Braunecker, who has been with the team since 2016. Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) July 23, 2020. The thing is Pace is way past delusional. On Braunecker's touchdown, the coaching staff thought up a perfect play that left him isolated on the third-string free safety, and Mitchell Trubisky threw a perfect pass that allowed his tight end to find the end zone. In fact, hes only been targeted 22 times in four years, so hes been pretty easy to miss. Im driven to make this team and Im really thankful the Bears gave me an opportunity.". Ben Braunecker - Wikipedia Its always interesting the first week of classes and trying to read primary research again is just like, wow. You cant really go to any gym and lift weights. The Bears made a surprising cut Thursday. He caught six passes for 59 yards and a touchdown last year. Look: Mike Golic Reacts To His Daughter Getting Married - MSN One camp underestimated the harm that this new coronavirus could do and the other camp overestimated. Braunecker has a bit of an uphill battle to make the final 53-man roster as an undrafted player from an FCS program, but he is fortunate to be joining a team with a lot of question marks at his . Like Mike Golic, Ben Braunecker is a former NFL player. Understandable, I guess. If he doesnt make the roster, it wont be from a lack of effort, just that the transition to the NFL level proved to be too much, but dont count Braunecker out.