NEWSLETTER
There is already an expectation that the Chicago Bears will be active in the receiver market as the team continues searching for solutions at a position that has given them problems for years.
But it sounds like the Bears are looking for more than just receivers.
In breaking down roster battles and other things to watch for in the team’s preseason finale, The Athletic’s Adam Jahns shares the other position group Chicago’s football team could be looking to add to after the preseason ends:
“There have been rumblings in league circles that the Bears have explored adding other offensive linemen, including veteran guards, in the trade market,” Jahns writes. “It won’t be surprising if new faces are added later after cuts are made.”
That the Bears have been checking in on offensive linemen elsewhere shouldn’t be a surprise. It’s not as if we haven’t been pining for the front office to add more to this group. And even though it feels late to be trying to find solutions to problems we’ve been wringing our hands over since March, better late than never — right?
What really seems to be driving these rumors is the uncertainty at guard. Teven Jenkins might have an inside track to start at right guard, but there is still a belief in some circles that he could be dealt. Even if we were to lock Jenkins into a starting role, it shouldn’t stop Poles from seeking improvements elsewhere. Think about it. This is a position group set to start a rookie left tackle, a right guard with just one preseason start at the position under his belt, and a second-year right tackle who is playing his third different position in two years. And that’s before we even mention a new center entering the mix. The combination of new pieces and moving parts makes me itchy. I can’t imagine I’m alone in feeling that way.
As for the reserves, Riley Reiff and Michael Schofield are veterans who don’t appear to have jobs locked in. And the rest of the group is a hodgepodge of developing talent. Ja’Tyre Carter and Zachary Thomas are rookie draft picks. Sam Mustipher, Dieter Eiselen, Lachavious Simmons are holdovers from the previous regime trying to win a spot before cuts. Corey Dublin, Jean Delance, and Shon Coleman represent summer depth. So, yeah, I can understand why the Bears would kick the tires elsewhere.
The NFL roster churn doesn’t quit. In other words, expect even more moves after the final round of roster cuts on Aug. 30. And while there was already an expectation that first-year GM Ryan Poles would be aggressive in rounding out the roster with some late-summer moves, seeing Jahns mentioning the search for offensive line help puts it in perspective. Let’s see what this new-look front office has up its sleeve.
