NEWSLETTER
Pardon the interruption, but I hope you’ll allow me to take a moment and obsess about a position of need that isn’t the quarterback. Because while I understand that upgrading at quarterback is the highest priority this offseason, it isn’t the only important thing on the Chicago Bears’ to-do list.
For instance, have you seen their offensive line?
In the interest of fairness, I’d like to acknowledge that the group played better after the bye week. Whoever was responsible for the shuffle that led to a lineup with Charles Leno Jr., Cody Whitehair, Sam Mustipher, Alex Bars, and Germain Ifedi from left-to-right should be commended. Considering all the other stuff that was happening at the time with Mitchell Trubisky’s return, rumors landing GM Ryan Pace on the hot seat, and the changing of the guard in play-callers from Matt Nagy to Bill Lazor, the offensive line shake up felt lost in the noise in some places.
So when I look back at it, the insertion of Mustipher and Bars into the lineup helped jump-start that late-season run that made the offense look not bad for an extended stretch. Additionally, it was a turning point in the season. And ultimately, perhaps something that gave us an inkling about how Chicago could approach an offseason where fixing the offense would be a priority. At minimum, the line change at the line of scrimmage revealed the Bears have worthwhile depth. Maybe Chicago thinks it could conceivably go to camp with battles awaiting Bars and Mustipher for their respective starting gigs. On top of that, with Bobby Massie already out the door, there’s room to add a starter at a bookend tackle spot.
Good thing this free agent class is loaded with offensive line talent. And here are a few of the most notable names hitting the market…
Trent Williams, tackle — Williams was so good for the Niners last year, it would be easy to forget that he sat out the 2019 season in Washington. Even at age 33, Williams looks to have a lot left in the tank. Signing him would cost a hefty chunk of change, but it would be worth it to protect whoever is taking snaps at QB. Williams was on our mind when we wrote this last November.
Riley Reiff, tackle — I can’t think of Reiff without envisioning the times Khalil Mack has taken his lunch. Then again, Khalil Mack does that to a lotta guys. So maybe I shouldn’t hold that against him. Compared to other tackles on the market, Reiff fits as a sensible, short-term tackle option.
Joe Thuney, guard — Admittedly, I’m wary of signing players the Patriots allow to hit the open market. But it worked out pretty well with Cordarrelle Patterson, so I’m open to ideas. Thuney is a rock solid guard who turns 29 next November. The Pats didn’t tag Thuney for a second straight offseason, which makes him very much on the market.
Gabe Jackson and Kevin Zeitler, guard — I’m lumping these two together because of the similarity in their respective situations. The Giants cut Zeitler to create $12 million in cap space. And out in Vegas, the Raiders saved $9 million in cap room by parting ways with Jackson. One man’s cap casualty could be another’s treasure. Both Jackson and Zeitler are in their early 30s, but have track records of success. Signing one of these linemen could be a steal.
Corey Linsey, center — I’m typing this while gnashing my teeth, but you’ve gotta give credit where it’s due. The Packers have done a remarkable job developing useful offensive line talent. But because you can’t keep everyone, they allow talented players to hit free agency every so often. This year, Linsley catches my eye. He was a first-team All-Pro in 2020. With 2021 being Linsley’s age 30 season, I’d like to think he still has some prime years left.
Alex Mack, center — Mack isn’t what he once was, but he was good once, and could still be a fit. We discussed the idea of an in-season trade for Mack last season. Nothing ever came together, but I wonder if that’s the type of veteran leader the Bears need in the trenches.
Left tackle Eric Fisher and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz were cut by the Chiefs today in a move that came as somewhat of a surprise, but shouldn’t have been. Fisher suffered an Achilles injury in the playoffs which figures to keep him out until September. Schwartz has offseason back surgery. And as Schwartz enters his age 32 season, there are real questions about how much longer he wants to play. If either were healthy, they’d land on my list of players I’d be interested in the Bears being intrigued by this offseason.
Nevertheless, the list is still lengthy. And if you couple that with an equally loaded Draft class, there’s no reason not to upgrade. Well, not a good reason…
