GM Ryan Poles has mostly done a good job overhauling the Chicago Bears‘ roster. He’s found them studs at several key positions like edge rusher (Montez Sweat), cornerback (Tyrique Stevenson), wide receiver (D.J. Moore), offensive tackle (Darnell Wright), and linebacker (T.J. Edwards). However, every GM seems to have a blind spot. For Poles, it appears to be the center position. Since taking over, he has tried different solutions in the middle with Lucas Patrick, Dan Feeney, and now Coleman Shelton.
None of them have managed to stabilize the position. Brian Baldinger knows a lot about offensive line play. He played 147 games in the NFL as a tackle, guard, and center. He told CHGO Bears that no position determines the overall strength of your offensive line than the center. While Chicago may have solidified their edges with Wright and Braxton Jones, it won’t matter much if Caleb Williams keeps getting pressure in his face.
Coleman Shelton was always a weak solution.
None of their primary solutions have been significant investments. Patrick and Shelton were cheap free agent additions, and Feeney was acquired for a sixth-round pick. Poles has not invested a high draft choice or significant money at center in three offseasons. Either that means he doesn’t view it as a position of high importance, or he hasn’t been able to secure somebody the team covets. It is worth mentioning the best center to come out of the 2022 and 2023 drafts, Tyler Linderbaum, went in the 1st round. Chicago didn’t have one that year. Joe Tippmann and John Michael Schmitz were possibilities last year, but neither has looked good so far.
Maybe the Chicago Bears will give Ryan Bates a look at center if Coleman Shelton keeps struggling over the next few weeks. Still, it feels like this is a situation Poles can’t ignore anymore. If he wants Williams to take a step forward as a young quarterback, he must solidify the interior protection. Nothing does that faster than securing a quality center. The Bears have three picks in the first two rounds next year. They could also target an established veteran like Ryan Kelly or Connor Williams in free agency.
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We’ve brought in an assortment of guys to play the middle of the line. All have either been solid starters and/or very competent swing men yet they seem to regress when they arrive. At what point do we show C-Mo the door? Logic says he’s likely the main problem, coincidence be damned.
Brian Baldinger is a personal favorite for his commentary on offensive line play. Joe (Joseph Hayden Thomas) has to be the best TV commentator you’ll ever see — but I think he’s out fishing somewhere on a big lake, right now. “Swifty” does a real nice job, here — and it was good of him to recognize that Braxton Jones has learned Darnell Wright’s “snatch and trap” move (which Darnell learned from watching SF’s Trent Williams’ “techniques and tricks”) — while Wright played at the University of Tennesee. I know this because I pointed it out in my post —… Read more »
Not at all. It’s evident we have upgraded every position, it just happens to be the Center position is our one remaining, glaring hole.
I’d lean towards some people still being butt hurt about our last QB not working out before I skewed the conversation that way.
It’s funny how the o-line, especially the center, is not good enough for our precious quarterback this year,but was just fine the last three years and it was all the quarterback’s fault.
@Arnie Get Your Gun Read an elementary book on critical thinking or the power of negativity. Then apply to Bears football and the OL position and the first game.