At 6-foot-2, 295 pounds, Brandon Manumaleuna could be mistaken for an offensive lineman.
However, fans in San Diego know him as one of the best blocking tight ends in the business. But after four seasons on the Chargers, the 30-year-old is heading to the Windy City, according to the Chicago Tribune.
If and when he suits up at practice for the Chicago Bears in 2010, the blocking tight end may very well be lining up against another offseason Chicago acquisition in defensive end Julius Peppers.
Peppers, as well as running back Chester Taylor, will be visiting the Bears on Friday afternoon — the same day in which Manumaleuna will be signing a reported five-year deal pending a physical.
Manumaleuna will be reuniting with a pair of former coaches he worked under with the Rams, a team he played five seasons with before heading west to the high-powered offense in San Diego.
"I played for [Bears offensive coordinator] Mike Martz [in St. Louis] and [head coach] Lovie Smith was the defensive coordinator. It was a great situation," Manumaleuna told the Tribune on Friday morning at O'Hare International Airport after arriving on a flight from Los Angeles. "This team has a chance to be real successful. It was difficult [to leave San Diego]. I had a lot of friends and it was close to home, but the business is what it is."
When asked about Peppers and Taylor visiting the Bears on Friday, Manumaleuna said "we have a chance to get a lot of good guys and make a good run for it."
The Tribune caught up with Manumaleuna at the airport, and the video can be seen below.
