The Sports Xchange

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Martellus Bennett situation will reach a boiling point for the first time on June 16 when the Chicago Bears begin their mandatory minicamp.

Until then, the team continues to work in a handful of holdover and veteran tight end acquisitions. The hope is to find a starter available to work when the practices become mandatory.

There is no certainty about this considering Bennett wants more money after a 90-catch year and with two seasons left on his current deal. The Bears usually do not give out contract extensions with two years remaining.

“As I said before, this is voluntary,” head coach John Fox said about organized team activities. “It’s not going to change for the rest of this offseason. … I just know we’ve got a lot of guys out here working really hard.”

Fox doesn’t know whether to expect Bennett for the mandatory workouts at this point.

“I can’t predict what those intentions are, just that I’d prefer him to be here, and now we’ll put all of our energy and focus on the guys that are,” he said.

One player who is available caught Fox’s attention in Tuesday’s practice and remains visible, especially in passing drills and seven-on-seven. That’s Zach Miller, who suffered a foot injury that put him on injured reserve in preseason last year but appears entirely healthy now.

“He made a really good grab (Tuesday),” Fox said. “I think he’s flashed. We’re kind of monitoring him on his reps. This time of the year, with 89 guys out there, you’re able to spread those reps.

“But he’s a guy that we heard had a great camp (last year) and some of the things we were able to go back and research.”

At 6 feet 5, 236 pounds, Miller is a bit light to be a regular in-line tight end, and the new offense requires at least one good blocking tight end.

Bear Pascoe was a solid run-blocking tight end for the New York Giants who seems to fill the role now, at least with the team unable to put on pads.

In Wednesday’s practice, holdover backup tight end Dante Rosario pulled down a few passes. Rosario and Pascoe have the advantage over Miller in terms of roster fit because they are experienced special teams performers. Pascoe has a real advantage in special teams after blocking six field goal attempts while playing college football.

A player who really didn’t get his bearings until this week but could figure in is Chris Pantale. The former Jets tight end was claimed off waivers on May 11. He played the final five games last year for the Jets and had been on their practice squad the previous season.

The Bears appear to be preparing for the worst with Bennett, as they have eight tight ends on the roster — a fact Fox even referred to somewhat jokingly when he assessed the play of all the tight ends.

“I think there’s a long list of them,” he said. “But they’ve done a good job of learning the system both in the pass game and in the run game. I like what I have seen.

“There’s some young guys there that, you know, some people may not have heard of. I think Bear is probably the most veteran guy in that group. But they’re working at it and they do a good job with it.”