By the look of things, the Chicago Bears have their plans set for rookie second round pick James Daniels. A center at Iowa, he will make the transition to left guard where it’s hoped he can fill the void left by departed veteran Josh Sitton. Expectations are high for him. Most experts agree the Bears got themselves a potential steal when drafting him.
The lingering question is will left guard be his permanent spot or is it merely a prelude to something different? Some still feel that Daniels will eventually end up at center, the position he thrived at in college. Yet the presence of Cody Whitehair makes that hard to envision. On the other hand, an interesting comment from Bears Director of Player Personnel Josh Lucas offered a possible glimpse of something more.
He appeared on the latest episode of Meet The Rookies, a web series going in-depth about each member of the Bears rookie class. Daniels’ episode detailed his decision to go to Iowa despite having offers from Ohio State and Alabama among others. It also featured Lucas making an admission that may or may not hint at his future in Chicago.
Bears were surprised James Daniels wasn’t moved to tackle at Iowa
“What’s unusual for James is he was playing center at Iowa with that skill set. I think what happens a lot of times at the college level is your best offensive lineman will play offensive tackle.
It was unusual to see a player with his skillset, his athletic ability, his knowledge of football playing center. Guys that have power. Guys that like contact and have athleticism and movement? There’s not a lot of them in every draft.”
It’s an interesting point to make. From an athletic perspective, Daniels certainly has the chops to play tackle. He has fluidity in his movement, good awareness and quick feet that allow him to get out of his stance without issue. These are critical requirements for a good tackle in the NFL. The problem most will raise with him is he’s too small.
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Generally, teams prefer their tackles to be at least 6’5 and over 310 lbs. Daniels is 6’3 and last weighed in at 306 lbs. So why should anybody think he can play tackle? Well, for starters aside from the athleticism he also has solid arm length at 33 3/4 inches. Shorter linemen can play that position if they have long enough arms as he does.
It’s also worth pointing out the Bears already employ a tackle who is considered on the smaller side. Charles Leno Jr. is 6’3, 305 lbs. While nobody would accuse him of being a star, he’s developed into a reliable left tackle for them the past couple years. Enough to earn a new contract last season. If he can do it, there’s no reason to think Daniels can’t.
What makes this even more fascinating is the contract status of right tackle Bobby Massie. He will be a free agent in 2019, opening up a slot on the edge. Could the Bears slide Daniels out there, giving their line more quickness and flexibility? Guards are easier to find these days than tackles. As Lucas said, it’s often wise to play your best linemen there.
Something to think about.
