When I saw ESPN’s Field Yates tweet about the Seattle Seahawks hosting old friend Jason Peters for a workout, yours truly was miffed. To be clear, I don’t think I’d be advocating for the Bears to sign the 42-year-old offensive lineman. But I’d like to think that Chicago’s football team would be hosting some dudes with experience in the trenches after what we’ve seen through three weeks.
And then I saw Aaron Wilson’s tweet in which he reports on the Bears’ Tuesday tryouts โ which includes some offensive linemen!
Tuesday’s Chicago Bears tryouts include two offensive linemen
Here is a rundown:
- Tremayne Anchrum Jr., offensive lineman โ A seventh-round pick (250th overall) in 2020 by the Los Angeles Rams, Anchrum played 31 games for the team from 2020-23 and even made a start for the Rams in 2022. Anchrum has a bunch of championship experience with a pair of College Football Playoff national championship wins while with the Clemson Tigers in 2016 and 2018, as well as a Super Bowl ring while on the Rams’ roster for the team’s title run in 2021.
- Austen Pleasants, offensive lineman โ The *OTHER* offensive lineman who was in town for a tryout was Pleasants, who has familiarity with the Bears after spending some time on their practice squad last year. Pleasants, who played his college ball at Ohio University, has previous experience with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2020-21), Carolina Panthers (2021-22), Los Angeles Chargers (2022, 2023), and Arizona Cardinals (2023, 2024). A guard by trade, Pleasants โ whose Pro Football Reference page lists him as 6-7 and 330 pounds, was a second-team All-MAC player in 2019.
- Tony Jones, running back โ Jones played college football at Notre Dame from 2016-19, but went undrafted in 2020. The former Fighting Irish back has bounced around rosters and made stops with the New Orleans Saints (2020-22, 2023), Seattle Seahawks (2022), Denver Broncos (2023), and Arizona Cardinals (2023). For what it’s worth, Jones owns the longest run in Notre Dame bowl game history.
84 days to go – Tony Jones Jr. finds a gap and sets up for the night in the Iowa State endzone after an 84 yard touchdown run in the 2019 Camping World Bowl. #GoIrish☘️ #IrishCounTDown https://t.co/XdiISpW2t8 pic.twitter.com/39ldJoKAjy— The 4 Horsemen Podcast (@HorsemenPod) June 11, 2022
- Anthony McFarland Jr., running back โ A fourth-round pick (No. 124 overall) by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020, McFarland hasn’t put up much in terms of NFL stats. The 26-year-old University of Maryland standout has just 146 rushing yards, 87 receiving yards, and 237 return yards under his belt.
- Jake Funk, running back โ The University of Maryland product has bounced around since being drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 2021. A seventh-round selection (pick No. 233) in 2021 after earning third-team All-Big Ten status in his final year in college, Funk has spent time with the New Orleans Saints (2022), Indianapolis Colts (2022-23), Miami Dolphins (2023), and Detroit Lions (2023-24). Funk has just 15 rushing yards on his rรฉsumรฉ and might be better known in celebrity circles for marrying Hannah Ann Sluss, who was the winner of The Bachelor in 2021.
- Chris Oladokun, quarterback โ Here is a fun fact about Oladokun: The 27-year-old quarterback has a pair of Super Bowl rings from his time with the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad in 2022 and 2023. Oladokun played collegiately for South Florida (2016-18), Samford (2019-20), and South Dakota State (2021). I vaguely remember his 2-interception performance against my alma mater in a 42-41 overtime win by the Southern Illinois Salukis.
ICYMI: Bears Signed A New Tight End to Their Practice Squad
There is no way it is just a coincidence that the Bears had tryouts with players at positions that are under the most scrutiny right now. Hopefully, whatever message this front office wants to send to its players gets across to Chicago’s running backs and offensive linemen. And if things don’t shape up for those position groups soon, more roster shakeups could be on the horizon. It is time to get it in gear, gentlemen.