Bears bring back exclusive rights free agents Horsted, Mustipher , and Simmons

On Tuesday the Chicago Bears tendered one-year contracts to all three of their exclusive rights free agents: tight end Jesper Horsted, center Sam Mustipher , and offensive lineman Lachavious Simmons .

Exclusive rights free agents are players with fewer than three accrued seasons in the NFL and an expired contract. If an ERFA’s original team offers him a one-year deal at the league minimum he’s essentially re-signed, because they can’t negotiate with other teams.

Horsted, a 2019 undrafted free agent, now joins Cole Kmet as the only two tights ends under contract. Last season he tied for third on the team with 2 touchdown catches, and those came on his only 2 receptions. In 7 games last year he…