GM Ryan Poles isn’t one to beat around the bush. He made one thing clear from the moment he took over the Chicago Bears. The offensive line he saw finish the 2021 season is not good enough, nowhere near his standards. Nothing made that clearer than how lacking they were in toughness or violence. Too often, they got pushed around. They were never the aggressors. He made it his mission to change that. The first step in that plan came when the Bears signed veteran lineman Lucas Patrick.
A former undrafted free agent, he worked his way onto the Green Bay Packers’ roster as an interior backup. He quickly earned a reputation for toughness and attitude. Then when injuries struck the Packers’ front last season, he stepped in at center and played well. Poles liked what he saw. Combined with the presence of former Packers assistant Luke Getsy as the new offensive coordinator, it wasn’t a complicated signing to make.
Over a month later, the GM sounds even happier he did it.
During his pre-draft press conference on Tuesday, Poles was asked whether he felt the offensive line had enough pieces in place that could play up to his standards or if he thought it could improve. He made it clear that there is always room for improvement. However, he also stated a change is already felt in how the line is operating. Much of that is thanks to the presence of Patrick in the middle.
It came across right away that Patrick is a throwback. He’s a blue-collar guy with a chip on his shoulder. That is why he plays the game with such effort and intensity. It is the classic mindset of an undrafted player. Each snap is played as if it’s his last. Then there is the mentality instilled in him by Green Bay. No matter what happens, you protect the quarterback. If it means picking fights, so be it.
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Lucas Patrick is the Hank Bauer that front needs.
For those who don’t know the name, Bauer was a running back for the San Diego Chargers in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His reputation was a player with limited talent but insatiable desire and a battler mentality. Many teammates praised him for pushing everybody else to work harder. Patrick is precisely the same way. He isn’t the most gifted the sport has ever seen, but he’s tough as nails and gives everything he has.
That felt like something the Bears were missing last year. Nobody was willing to leave it all out on the field. That is going to change with Lucas Patrick. Poles called him the “prick” this team needed. Somebody who isn’t afraid to instigate and get under the skin of the defense with his relentless, physical style.
It sounds like he’s encouraging others to do the same.
That is no doubt a big reason he was brought in. Nobody ever said the superstar players had to be the culture-changers. Sometimes, the unheralded addition gets the ball rolling in the right direction. Patrick is that guy. His style and mentality fit this organization so well. It will be fun to see him apply his personal brand of blocking this season.
