One thing about the NFL is that it doesn’t care about your plans. The Chicago Bears came into 2024 aiming to bring Kiran Amegadjie along slowly. The big tackle from Yale has boatloads of talent—he’s big, long, powerful, and athletic. The problem is that he suffered a quad injury that has kept him sidelined for almost a year. He finally started practicing a few weeks ago and was just cleared for full pads. GM Ryan Poles had expected to let him sit and learn for at least the first half of the season before considering the idea of getting him on the field.
Once again, the NFL may have different plans in mind.
Word dropped on Wednesday that Bears right tackle Darnell Wright is dealing with a back problem. He didn’t practice, leaving his status for Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams in question. This leaves the coaches with two courses of action. Either they move veteran Matt Pryor to right tackle, where he has some experience, and re-insert Nate Davis. Or they could keep Pryor at guard and roll the dice on Amegadjie. Matt Eberflus didn’t dismiss the idea when asked.
“He is one of our options. And he’s looked good. He’s continuing to improve.”
Pryor’s own comments added to the intrigue. Though he has experience at tackle, he has stayed at guard. No changes have occurred.
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Kiran Amegadjie needs to show he can handle NFL speed.
That is his biggest concern at the moment. Being a rookie is one thing. Plenty of rookies have found immediate success in the NFL. The more significant issue is the jump in competition. Amegadjie didn’t exactly face high-end pass rushers in the Ivy League. Guys are bigger, stronger, and faster at this level. He first needs to prove he can handle it in practice before the Bears give the green light to put him in games. Going against guys like Montez Sweat and Darrell Taylor is a good test to see where he is at.
Eberflus and the coaches seem encouraged by his progress. Kiran Amegadjie himself has expressed confidence that he is learning and can play at this level. If there were a time to consider debuting him, at home would be preferable. He wouldn’t have to worry about crowd noise, and the Soldier Field is natural grass, meaning pass rushers will be a bit slower than on turf. Will they do it? As of right now, it’s unlikely. They seem hopeful Wright can recover enough to play. If not, opting for the Pryor/Davis option is less of a gamble.
What is interesting to me with all of the injuries on the offensive line, is how it is actually happening? All I ever see is guys whiffing on blocks or on their ass. Waldron hasn’t even attempted any rollouts, so that can’t be causing injuries. It always appears to me that we have out-of-shape O-linemen that are soft. How TF do the Packers seem to have a decent line?
Keep hearing the words availability time and time again, but you know what, here we are again with a banged up offensive line. For the last several years it’s been one injury after another. Maybe it’s time that the Bears to look the person in charge of the Bears physical conditioning because for the last several years there has been more players of the starting caliber on the IR, IL whatever. I said this last year. Yeah, I know its football but there are teams who can put an offensive line out there year after year and don’t have all… Read more »
It can’t get too much worse then it’s already been. If he’s looked good in practice let’s get him some reps in game and see how he does. I really don’t want to see Davis again.
So, Erik —
Have any of your Bears “insiders” ever seen this “incapacitated” Ivy League frat-boy killer put on the pads and face a practice team player?
I heard last week, he and Ms. Virginia had a free-weight “squat-off” at the power cage.
Can you find out; and tell us who won?
“Kiran ‘You aight?’ Amegadjie” merch will be available soon.
Gary Fencik is 70 years old. I don’t live 40 years in the past like many of you meatballs, I live in the here and now.