Chicago Bears free agent pickup will officially be forced to start training camp on the NFI list

The Chicago Bears will be taking the field without another offensive player when the team kicks off the first day of training camp on Saturday.

According to multiple reporters, Bears tight end Gerald Everett has been placed on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list and will miss the start of camp. The NFI list is for players who suffered injuries away from the team facility or an illness. Everett will be able to come off the list at any time. Head coach Matt Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles addressed the media earlier today but did not elude to this move being made.

Rookie offensive lineman and third-round selection Kiran Amegadjie was also placed on the NFI list due to an injury suffered during his final season. Unlike Amegadjie, Everett practiced with the team during OTAs and minicamp and the cause to be placed on the list is currently unknown. After announcing the move, it was also announced that undrafted rookie Jamree Kromah was removed from the PUP list.

Everett will be a major factor in the Bears offense this season as he reunites with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron alongside Cole Kmet. Everett noted that Waldron was a big reason why he chose to sign with Chicago, entering his eighth year in the league. The Bears signed him to a two-year, $12 million deal this offseason.

Depending on how long Everett is held off the field, this could be a big opportunity for the other tight ends in the room, such as Stephen Carlson and Tommy Sweeney, to step up on the field in his absence.

During OTAs and minicamp, Everett made multiple eye-opening plays with the offense and really had a strong feel for the scheme. The tight ends in Chicago will be heavily utilized within Waldron's offense this season and will be able to really show off their skillsets playing inside of it.

"I think it's gonna be a good situation this year," Everett said via ChicagoBears.com. "I think we're gonna have a lot of production. We're gonna have a lot of cohesion in our room. The sky's the limit for us — especially with Shane calling the plays."

Hopefully Everett is able to get back on the field and healthy again in a timely manner during camp while the rest of the unit continues installing the new system .

Related: DJ Moore and Cole Kmet send a very important message to their teammates as the Bears start training camp