Can this OL be "fixed" in one offseason?

[RiDLer80]

I don't expect us to bring in 5 new OL next season. That's unreasonable. But is it too much to ask for 2-3 new players to improve the OL? Between free agency and the draft we should be able to upgrade 2 positions on the OL.

I'm not a salary cap guru, but there are a number OL available in 2021 free agency that we should look at--specifically interior OL because they're cheaper than tackles. Some options are: Joe Thuney, Forrest Lamp, Dan Feeny, Jon Feliciano and Brandon Scherff. All are under 30 years old.

I think the draft is where we address our tackle needs. I think we go QB round one, but it's a must we take a tackle in round 2. Some guys that may be there for us in round 2 are: Jalen Mayfield, Jackson Carman and Sam Cosmi. I wouldn't be surprised if we took a second OL in rounds 3-5 either. Not gonna list more names here, but you get the idea. We need a major upgrade of talent along the OL

With a free agent signing and one or two draft pics we could overhaul the OL in one offseason.

Thank you for attending my TED Talk.

 

[Bust]

They can't do anything in free agency, no cap room.

Of course it can be fixed in one offseason ... hit on the draft picks

 

[Dragon Slayer]

I'd say no. Bears can certainly add some pieces though to make it manageable next year. Pick up a starter in FA (most likely a G as you mentioned) and look to the draft for high draft pick at the T position and then some developmental pieces later on. It won't be perfect, but needs to be the highest priority outside of the QB position.

 

[Anytime23]

I'd say no. Bears can certainly add some pieces though to make it manageable next year. Pick up a starter in FA (most likely a G as you mentioned) and look to the draft for high draft pick at the T position and then some developmental pieces later on. It won't be perfect, but needs to be the highest priority outside of the QB position.

Seems manageable. Early round T. Mid-round interior OL. Hopefully they'll have the coaching staff to get the most out of them and a QB who can get the ball out early.

 

[ZOMBIE@CTESPN]

All we need is a new oline coach bro

 

[Enasic]

I think it could get to a functional level, yes. It's very do-able if you prioritize it.

 

[satchice]

I think it is entirely possible that we could sign a Tackle and Center or Guard and draft a tackle. Remember that Cody Whitehair is a Guard playing Center. I really like Alejandro Villanueva he is 32 years old now and he is on the last year of his 4 year 24 MIL contract his average yearly was 6 Million per year. Bear could offer him a 3 year 24 MIL. So, he would get a bump and be signed until he is 35. Having 3 years would give us flexibility to make the cap hit work.

Then you give a 8-10 mil / year contract to a guy like Joe Thuney to play Guard or Center Matt Skura. Signing Skura would improve the Center position and allow Whitehair to move over improving the Guard position. Then draft the best Tackle you can and start him at RT until he is ready to take over at LT.

Cutting our 2 tackles and Jimmy Graham would allow use to sign both players cap wise.

LT - Alejandro Villanueva -Steelers
LG - James Daniels
C - Matt Skura - Ravens
RG Cody Whitehair
RT Rookie

or

LT - Alejandro Villanueva -Steelers
LG - Joe Thuney -Pats
C - Cody Whitehair
RG -James Daniels
RT- Rookie

 

[MikeDitkaPolishSausage]

Yes. With a couple new legit starters, that could help fix the offense line. We don’t need that group to be top 5 right away but somewhere in the middle. Beside finding a QB, that would be the biggest difference for the offense.

 

[Enasic]

I'm not an OL expert by any means, but is Whitehair strong and physical enough to play RG? He's not really a mauler

 

[Montucky]

Of course it can. There are many ways to do it, I wont even list them all.

Whitehair and Daniels are good players, problem is Whitehair is stuck playing the wrong position. Alex Bars is having a rough debut in his career as a starter but let's give the guy more than one month to prove himself before writing him off forever. The Bears are not starting from zero on the offensive line. If they just find a center who can play then that fixes center and also fixes the guard position by moving Whitehair where he belongs. From there they really just need to find a tackle and we can at least move into 2021 confident in a big improvement.

I swear Bears fans have an issue with perspective. We've had offensive lines a whole lot worse than this one in just the last ten years. Does anyone remember watching Frank Omiyale? He makes Charles Leno Jr. look like Orlando fucking Pace. Pretending like this is so bad it cannot be fixed is just dramatic and silly.

 

[Black Rainbow]

I'm so tired of over-paying some other team's 30 year old vet that they didn't care to resign themselves. Shoulda drafted oline this year instead of Kmet, hoping he could make Nagy's chump ass system look better. Whata effing waste.

Invest in your oline Bears! Spend some draft picks for once. Forget about another reach & subsequent bust QB.

 

[HearshotKDS]

Bears will probably have space for a B tier FA guard (dont think they will be able to afford Thuney), then need to draft tackle in the 1st or 2nd if a QB falls to their 1st pick that they cant pass on. Probably then need to spend a mid round pick on another iOL and/or even another OT. The Bears OL has 2 big problems:

* the players they invested "actual" contract dollars in have played like shit or been injured. Massie has been close to average but once again is injured (concerning for an older guy to consistently be injured every season), Leno has been below average-bad ever since signing his big contract, and Whitehair has frankly sucked considering he is the 9th highest paid C in the league.

* There is no depth to speak of - Ifedi and Spriggs would actually be decent back up OG + swing tackle, but they are on 1 year contracts so who knows if they can get them to sign again for cheap. Outside of those 2, the OL depth are converted DT projects (Coward), and UDFAs or 7th round picks(basically everyone else). Ideally you put projects and late round picks/UDFAs on your practice squad, not "the first guy off the bench". Given Pace's history here, I honestly think he just doesnt value OL depth and probably feels this season he just got super unlucky with injuries.

Dont think the line can be completely fixed in an offseason, but it can definitely be improved - compared to both the previous lines but also relative to the rest of the NFL.

 

[WindyCity]

Fixed no. But if can be improved.

Leno
Whitehair
Daniels
Mid Level Free Agent
2nd round pick

That could be the line for 2021.

 

[WindyCity]

I think it is entirely possible that we could sign a Tackle and Center or Guard and draft a tackle. Remember that Cody Whitehair is a Guard playing Center. I really like Alejandro Villanueva he is 32 years old now and he is on the last year of his 4 year 24 MIL contract his average yearly was 6 Million per year. Bear could offer him a 3 year 24 MIL. So, he would get a bump and be signed until he is 35. Having 3 years would give us flexibility to make the cap hit work.

Then you give a 8-10 mil / year contract to a guy like Joe Thuney to play Guard or Center Matt Skura. Signing Skura would improve the Center position and allow Whitehair to move over improving the Guard position. Then draft the best Tackle you can and start him at RT until he is ready to take over at LT.

Cutting our 2 tackles and Jimmy Graham would allow use to sign both players cap wise.

LT - Alejandro Villanueva -Steelers
LG - James Daniels
C - Matt Skura - Ravens
RG Cody Whitehair
RT Rookie

or

LT - Alejandro Villanueva -Steelers
LG - Joe Thuney -Pats
C - Cody Whitehair
RG -James Daniels
RT- Rookie

They can’t afford either of these plans.

That is probably close to 30 million in OL spending.

 

[Montucky]

If any part of your solution to the offensive line is "2021 draft pick" stop there and rethink whether its even slightly realistic for a team picking in the teens to draft a day one starter at offensive tackle. Maybe last year it would've been possible in an historically strong offensive tackle draft, but dont count on it year after year.

But more broadly speaking if the Bears find themselves pidgeonholed into a situation where the must draft an offensive lineman in the first round the chances of that pick being a success go down dramatically. Its hard to enough to succeed in the draft to begin with, adding artificial constraints based on positional need only further dooms the already dismal odds.

 

[Enasic]

I see a lot of people advocating moving Whitehair from C. I know that's not his natural position, but he was always known for versatility.....but since coming into the NFL, hasn't he played best at C? I recall him not doing that well at LG when he had to play there and I don't think he's a great fit at RG.

 

[Camden Cutler]

Most revolving doors can be fixed in a few hours.

 

[remydat]

They can’t afford either of these plans.

That is probably close to 30 million in OL spending.

Don't resign ARob, cut Leno, Massie, Skrine, Graham, extend Hicks and Fuller.

 

[hyatt151]

Just saw a mock draft with Lawrence, Fields and Lance going off in the 1st 4 picks, if that happens, you can rule out QB in the 1st round

 

[greg23]

Daniels
Whitehair
Mustipher
Hambright
Simmons
Bars

Problem solved

#youthmovement