Denied: Saints match Bears' offer sheet for tight end Josh Hill

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Bears GM Ryan Pace will not be reunited with New Orleans Saints tight end Josh Hill.

Saints executive vice president/general manager Mickey Loomis announced on Friday that the team has retained the restricted free agent after excising right of first refusal on the Bears' offer sheet for Hill.

Hill, 25, visited Halas Hall last week and signed an offer sheet with the Bears on Tuesday. Hill was originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of Idaho State in 2013 when Pace was working in the Saints' front office. He has recorded 36 receptions for 340 yards and eight touchdowns in 46 career games with New Orleans.

[SHOP: Gear up, Bears fans!]

After losing out on Hill, the Bears will likely continue to search all avenues to bolster the tight end position, especially have trading former Pro Bowl tight end Martellus Bennett to the New England Patriots this offseason.

Pace hinted at Tuesday's NFL owners meetings at the possibility of adding another tight end.

"We’re still entertaining some other options that are out there. So that’s sort of an ongoing, fluid process as we speak."

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