30 Most Important Bears of 2022: No. 21 Khari Blasingame

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the 2022 NFL season, which features plenty of new and returning faces within the organization. There are a number of players, coaches and front office members that are crucial to the team’s success this season.

Every day from now until the start of training camp, we’re counting down our 30 most important Bears for the 2022 season. We’ll recap their 2021 season, look ahead to 2022 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year.

Coming up at No. 22 is fullback Khari Blasingame, a new addition to the offense that could become the biggest asset in the run game.

Tennessee Titans fullback Khari Blasingame (41) is stopped by Chicago Bears linebacker Christian Jones (57) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Position: Fullback

Age: 26

Experience: 4th season

2022 cap hit: $965,000

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) stuff arms Cincinnati Bengals cornerback LeShaun Sims (38) on a run during the first quarter of a Week 8 NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.Tennessee Titans At Cincinnati Bengals Nov 1

Blasingame was quite literally the unsung hero for the Tennessee Titans over the last couple of seasons. His role in the blocking game allowed star running back Derrick Henry to rush for historic totals in 2020 and make the Titans ground game arguably the best in the league. Blasingame’s 2021 campaign wasn’t as impactful since both he and Henry missed significant time due to injuries.

The fullback played in 11 games and was mostly used as a blocker, only carrying the ball three times for six yards and catching two passes on the season. But when he was blocking, good things happened for the Titans. According to Statmuse, Henry averaged 126 yards per game and 4.6 yards per carry on the ground with Blasingame in six games during the 2021 season. In two games without him, that number dipped to 90.5 and 3.2 yards per game.

Tennessee Titans full back Khari Blasingame (41) warms up before facing the Patriots at Gillette Stadium Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021 in Foxborough, Mass.Titans Patriots 041

Blasingame is the first true fullback the Bears have had in four seasons, indicating a renewed commitment to the running game. He’ll be tasked with opening up holes for the Bears running backs, specifically David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert. While neither player is at the level of Henry, both should see increased production across the board in part due to Blasingame.

The addition of Blasingame also takes some pressure off the offensive line, a position group that has more questions than answers at this point in the offseason. But while he’ll primarily be focused on blocking, don’t be surprised to see him steal a touch or two. The converted running back showed a nice burst last preseason against the Bears, taking a screen pass 50 yards down the field for a scoring opportunity. Perhaps the Bears can get creative with his usage from time to time.

A Chicago Bears helmet is seen on the field at the NFL football team’s practice facility in Lake Forest, Ill., Tuesday, May 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

For some die-hard Bears fans, seeing the team run the I formation on every single snap might be a dream come true. But that’s not the reality in today’s game. Blasingame will haver a significant role on this team, but it’s still too early to tell just how much.

For the Titans last season, Blasingame averaged just below eight snaps per game. In comparison, fullback Kyle Juszczyk of the San Francisco 49ers averaged 36 snaps and played in all 17 regular season games. The Bears and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy are implementing a Shanahan-style system which both the Titans and 49ers currently run. The question is, just how involved is Blasingame going to be when fall arrives? It likely won’t compare to what the 49ers are running with Juszczyk, but if the Bears are going to feature a fullback, he better see the field more than eight times per game.

We’re counting down our 30 Most Important Bears of 2022. Check back every day leading up to the start of training camp.