NEWSLETTER
I was just in the middle of hashing out some thoughts about the state of the Chicago Bears offensive line when news of an offensive line shakeup came across my nose. Help is on the, as the Bears are using a waiver claim in an attempt to bolster their depth:
On the one hand, I was looking forward to seeing if Aron Cruickshank could be this summer’s version of Tanner Gentry or Rodney Adams. Every preseason leads us to an upstart wide receiver who becomes a fan favorite because of what they do at training camp or during exhibition games. And while Cruickshank has had some moments, adding possible offensive line help will always pique my interest.
Logan Stenberg, 26, was just put on waivers by the Detroit Lions on Thursday. So the Bears putting a waiver claim on him means he won’t even get through the waiver process. To me, I see this as a good use of having the top waiver priority. Sure, losing all those games took a toll on folks (GM Ryan Poles says he was among them) last season. But finishing with the worst record in football has its perks. Among them is the ability to call dibs on any worthwhile player who lands on waivers. Clearly, the Bears think highly enough of Stenberg to bring him on board.
Who is Logan Stenberg?
Stenberg was a fourth-round pick (121st overall) in the 2020 NFL Draft. The University of Kentucky product was a first-team All-SEC player in 2019, his final season playing for the Wildcats. Stenberg was a popular offensive lineman prospect when he came out in the 2020 NFL Draft. For what it’s worth, Stenberg was the 10th-highest-graded interior O-line prospect on the BN Composite Ranking (which is a ranking based on opinions from PFF, ESPN, CBS Sports, and Walter Football and adapted to a points scale). Stenberg’s Relative Athletic Score isn’t as eye-popping as we’re used to seeing from players GM Ryan Poles seems to target. But it isn’t awful:
Stenberg checks in at 6-foot-6 and 317 pounds. He has large hands (10 1/4″) and decent arm length (32 1/2″) and has overall solid mesaurables. That’s all good stuff and noteworthy. But his playing time as a pro has been limited. Stenberg has just 25 games worth of experience under his belt and started just four games in three years. The Lions must feel good about the rest of their offensive line to cut Stenberg at this point of the summer. Perhaps the change of scenery will produce positive results on the Bears’ side. I wouldn’t mind seeing Detroit’s loss being Chicago’s gain.
I’m not sure what Logan Stenberg’s addition to the offensive line means in the grand scheme of things. But if I was one of the Bears’ reserve offensive linemen, I’d take this transaction personally and step my game up in practice and during the preseason. Because using the waiver claim suggests the front office (or coaching staff … or both) isn’t all that pleased with what is happening on the offensive line. And after seeing all sorts of defensive line penetration during Thursday’s practice, I can’t say I blame the front office for wanting to shake things up in the trenches. This isn’t to say that I don’t appreciate the defensive line’s efforts. Kudos to their performance for nudging the Bears’ decision-makers that the other side of the line could use some help.
In the end, adding Stenberg could be an example of the Bears trying to find a post-hype sleeper with ties to a division rival. But it also could be a message to the line as a whole. Stay tuned.
