GM Ryan Poles knew he had to make changes to the Chicago Bears offensive line after last season. There were too many issues that bedeviled it. So adjustments were made. Teven Jenkins moved from right guard to left guard. Cody Whitehair went back to center. Nate Davis signed as a free agent to become their new right guard. Last but not least, they drafted Darnell Wright 10th overall. This is undoubtedly the youngest line the Bears have had in a long time and might also be one of the biggest.
However, their true strength comes from another overlooked trait. Greg Gabriel pointed it out in his latest column for Windy City Gridiron.
“The one common denominator of all five starters is that they are very athletic. To play an outside zone scheme effectively, athletic linemen are needed.”
This shakes out in the numbers too. One of the biggest tells on whether an offensive lineman is athletic is his 10-yard split time during a 40-yard dash. This measures a player’s explosiveness and how quickly they can cover ten yards, which is the typical distance on most offensive plays. The preferred time for this is usually between 1.80 and 1.85 seconds. Anything below 1.80 is considered excellent. Check out the results for the Bears’ new starting five.
10-yard splits for Bears starting offensive line:
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- Braxton Jones – 1.69
- Teven Jenkins – 1.77
- Cody Whitehair – 1.73
- Nate Davis – 1.84
- Darnell Wright – 1.81
The Chicago Bears knew exactly what they were doing.
Poles understood the specific requirements of Luke Getsy’s offensive system and acted accordingly. This line may not be perfect in some ways, but one thing is undeniable. It can move. When you have five guys, all over 300 lbs, being able to cover lots of ground rapidly, it becomes tough to stop. That is why the wide-zone system can be so effective. Unless you have a defensive front seven that can match the same size and mobility, you’re already at a disadvantage in the run game.
This is before getting into the power several of these guys bring to the table. Jenkins is already notorious for his punishing strength. Davis and Wright have plenty to offer as well. Whitehair isn’t a slouch, either. These guys can get after people. If there is one reason to be excited about this Chicago Bears offensive line, it’s how incredibly versatile it can be. This amount of athleticism at such a crucial position is never not an advantage. If everybody stays healthy, the results could be big.
What makes the O Line dangerous for the Bears is a lack of quality backups for when injuries happen.
I’m very excited about the starting Tackles and Guards. I’m very worried about Center and backup Tackles and Guards. Linemen will become injured- this is the NFL. It couldn’t all get done in one off-season that is true. But finding a couple of decent backups for competition might be in order.
Props to Jerry Richardson, for his “. . gel and play as (a) collective unit. . .” comment.
Welcome to “the jungle.”
If this Bears offensive line were coached by Bill Callahan Jeff Stoutland or Andy Heck (or we could get Harry Hiestand or the Packers’ current OC, Adam Stenavich to return to the coaching they loved) you could be sure that the O-Liine would operate as a unit. It seems apparent that the players Erik mentioned have both, the talent and demeanor to excel.
Now, the question is: “Will they play as a unit?”
That’s the most important trait an O-line can possess.. I have not seen much from Chris Morgan that resembles “five working as one.”
Time will tell.
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