Playing Center is Like Riding a Bike, D-Line Options, O-Line Upgrades, and Other Bears Bullets

What does one do after experiencing the thing they’ve been looking forward to for eight months?

Write this set of Bullets, of course.

  • Let’s take a moment to feel good about the Chicago Bears offensive line. What was a much-maligned unit in 2022 already has the looks of a much-improved group in 2023. Having two new starters on the right side helps with the positive vibes. I’m looking forward to seeing how right guard Nate Davis and right tackle Darnell Wright work together in tandem. The left side of the line looks to be strong with tackle Braxton Jones Jr. looking to build on a solid rookie campaign. And we shouldn’t overlook Teven Jenkins, who spent time playing or practicing at three different positions in 2022. Jenkins settling in at right guard after a tumultuous offseason gives me reason to have faith he can thrive at left guard.
  • And then there is the center position, where the early returns on Cody Whitehair resuming his old role have been encouraging. To further drive home the good vibes, Gordon McGuinness ranks Whitehair as Pro Football Focus’ 11th-best center:
  • Whitehair has had quite a strange career with the Bears, shuffling about the interior offensive line. After earning 71.0-plus PFF grades primarily as a center in his first three seasons in the league, he was kicked out to guard for the first half of the 2019 season before spending the second half of the year back at center. The second half of 2020 through the end of the 2022 season were spent at guard, so it’s been over two seasons since we’ve seen him as a starting center, where he performed better throughout his career.

  • Whitehair has graded out well as a center in PFF’s eyes. And while Pro Football Focus grades aren’t the be-all and end-all, they do provide context, depth, analysis, and perspective that we like to use as part of our own evaluative methods. From where I stand, PFF’s grades match my eye test in confirming Whitehair’s best ball has been while he was at center. To be clear, this doesn’t mean he’ll be that guy again in 2023. But at least there is a track record to grasp at when trying to sort out the situation.
  • This reminds me that I wanted to bike more in 2023:
  • There is still time to vote in this BN poll that attempts to get a feel for how you’re feeling about Whitehair going back to center.
  • With all of that being said, I feel better about every position on the offensive line now than I did at this time last year. That feels like a low bar to clear, but I’m learning to take the small victories when I can because they tend to add up over time.
  • Alex Shapiro (NBCS Chicago) explores free-agent defensive end options after Leonard Floyd signed with the Bills. There isn’t a name that makes me want to jump out of my seat to sign at this stage of the offseason. And I’m unsure if the trade market will reveal a great fit. It almost makes me wish the Bears were a bit more progressive in trying to plug this hole in the NFL Draft. Then again, there is part of me that wants to see what Trevis Gipson and Dominique Robinson will do with the opportunity in front of them this summer. Want to win a starting job in the NFL? It’s right there for the taking so long as the Bears don’t add another starting-caliber defensive end between now and Week 1.
  • We are only 96 days away from the Bears and Packers kicking off in Week 1. This has me thinking about how Akiem Hicks wore No, 96 well during his time in Chicago, with his first three years being absolute gangbusters. From 2016-18, Hicks didn’t miss a game and averaged 7.7 sacks, 12.7 tackles-for-loss, and 17.7 quarterback hits. Dude was a menacing monster in the middle of the Bears defense.
  • Maybe it’s something about the No. 96 because Alex Brown wore it with pride from 2002-09. Brown played in 127 of a possible 128 regular season games during his eight-year run in Chicago. AB picked up at least 10 tackles-for-loss in five of those eight seasons. And from 2006-09, he averaged 6 sacks, 11 tackles-for-loss, and 14 quarterback hits. I’d feel better about the state of Chicago’s defense if the Bears could plop prime Alex Brown onto their defensive line in 2023.
  • I’m all for bringing in coaches who can provide new perspectives. And bonus points for going across the pond to do so:
  • Colts player Isaiah Rodgers is under investigation for betting on Colts games. That is a violation of the league’s gambling policy. And the fallout is already underway:
  • I’d like to use this space to encourage you to wager responsibly. Know your limits. Set them. Some apps allow you to set limits as a safeguard against potentially bad habits. Please be well, dear reader.
  • It was about time David Ross stood up for one of his players in this way:
  • Look who’s making Chicago basketball fun again:
  • I’m here for the soon-to-be new guy roasting dudes:
  • written by

    Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.

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