Offensive Line

[2Deep]

I am interested in thoughts on the O line and what we have going forward.
I truly think that we may have found our interior 3 in....

Whitehair G
Mustipher C
Daniel's G

We need 2 tackles...
I like Bars as a swing guy.

I have been very impressed by Mustipher.

I think we need to dip into free agency to get one tackle position filled and draft in 1st or 2nd round the other tackle position.

 

[dennehy]

I will be watching the OL, especially Mustipher and Ifedi, for the remainder of the season. Mustipher has looked good so far and penciling him in as the starter would be awesome. If not, get a real center in FA or draft because Whitehair and Daniels should be the starting guards.

The Bears need to draft someone who they can project to LT in the first or second round. Leno has been the worst OL by a wide margin the last few weeks. He's done. It's a nice draft for OT. It would be great if Ifedi can play RT competently next year. I would still think about drafting a developmental RT at some point.

I see Bars as a useful guy who can backup multiple spots on the OL.

 

[2Deep]

I honestly don't want Ifedi playing in the O line next year. He was the guy who got beat like a drum on the play Mitch fumbled late in the game. If we want to be a good team/Oliver then Ifedi can't play on it. JMHO

 

[dennehy]

I honestly don't want Ifedi playing in the O line next year. He was the guy who got beat like a drum on the play Mitch fumbled late in the game. If we want to be a good team/Oliver then Ifedi can't play on it. JMHO

The Bears are unlikely to be a good team next year. That said, Ifedi has looked better than Massie or Coward at RT, and the OL isn't going to be fixed in one year unless the Bears hit on two tackles in the draft which is unlikely.

 

[msadows]

I will be watching the OL, especially Mustipher and Ifedi, for the remainder of the season. Mustipher has looked good so far and penciling him in as the starter would be awesome. If not, get a real center in FA or draft because Whitehair and Daniels should be the starting guards.

The Bears need to draft someone who they can project to LT in the first or second round. Leno has been the worst OL by a wide margin the last few weeks. He's done. It's a nice draft for OT. It would be great if Ifedi can play RT competently next year. I would still think about drafting a developmental RT at some point.

I see Bars as a useful guy who can backup multiple spots on the OL.

While I want it to happen, I can't see Leno being cut. He saves us only 6m, but costs us 5m against the cap in a cap strapped year. Whoever you sign you'd have to factor that 5m into their contract this year. We already have zero cash to do it.

Unless you want to start a rookie there, you are basically SOL finding a better replacement in FA. Even mediocre LT's get that 6m he will save us.

I would honestly start Spriggs the last 4 games and see what happens....bench leno's sorry ass.

 

[rawdawg]

Mustipher has played pretty well, but I don't want him penciled in as a starting lineman next year. All you guys have been going on all year about how bad the OL is and how there's so little talent on the line, but then want to hand a UDFA a position after 2-3 decent games?

I appreciate those good games, but I think you have to add a proven guy somewhere along the line. Mustipher does make sense if you replace both tackles, but you probably aren't going to draft and start 2 rookie tackles. And you can't afford a big money free agent tackle, which means you are probably getting a guy that's probably similar to Massie and Leno. While for 6-8Mil, you can probably get a really good interior lineman.

If you have Mustipher as the top interior backup, I'm fine with that. If Bars is your swing guy, I'm fine with that. But the Bears need to bring in at least 2 linemen better than both, and at least 1 more to compete with them for backup snaps.

 

[Zvbxrpl]

You're not getting a good starting tackle in free agency. Good tackles don't make it to free agency. Taylor Decker, Ronnie Stanley, Garrett Bolles, and Laremy Tunsil all got new deals. Trent Williams and San Fran are working on a deal to keep him there.

Don't half-ass the OLine the way the past 3 GMs, Pace, Angelo, and Emery did when they couldn't figure that dropping big money on Jermon Bushrod, Bobby Massie, Frank Omiyale, and Fred Miller didn't help the OLine. Alejandro Villianueva and Russell Okung (if you can make the cap work to get them because they wont be cheap) aren't going to break the mold either.

You have to draft good tackles early, as that's your best shot unless you can find the next Bakthiari in the 5th round or wherever he was taken. And the bears are in luck because this upcoming April will be a very top-heavy OT draft.

 

[rawdawg]

The Bears are unlikely to be a good team next year. That said, Ifedi has looked better than Massie or Coward at RT, and the OL isn't going to be fixed in one year unless the Bears hit on two tackles in the draft which is unlikely.

Ifedi is a FA. There's 0 reason to pay him more money to stay here.

 

[msadows]

Ifedi is a FA. There's 0 reason to pay him more money to stay here.

No, there is a def. reason.

He'd be fantastic depth. He won't break the bank either.

 

[rawdawg]

No, there is a def. reason.

He'd be fantastic depth. He won't break the bank either.

Fantastic? Nah. We already know what Ifedi is. He's a below average G/T on a very bad OL. I'd rather get as many of the 2020 out of here as possible. Leno is probably already tough to cut because of the dead cap. Daniels and Whitehair will be here. Bars, Mustipher, Simmons, and Hambright probably are back to at least get a shot at a depth spot. I want to add a FA (maybe a 2nd really cheap one). I want to draft 2 OL. I'd rather Ifedi's spot go to a guy like Warford or Cordy Glenn who should be cheap after sitting out this year.

 

[msadows]

Fantastic? Nah. We already know what Ifedi is. He's a below average G/T on a very bad OL. I'd rather get as many of the 2020 out of here as possible.

Not to be a dick, but he'd be very good depth.

OL Depth in the nfl across the league is awful. I wouldn't mind retaining him on a 2 year deal around the same money if he takes it. You could do a lot worse for a backup. We have the last few years, lol. He has flexibility also to play 3 positions on the OL.

Keep Ifedi as the swing tackle. Cut massie, draft a RT in the 2nd round, start him. Daniels, Mustipher, Whitehair, Rookie.

No idea wtf you do with leno tho. That contract really fucked things.

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

They need to bring in a veteran Center, it's such an overlooked position.

 

[dennehy]

Ifedi is a FA. There's 0 reason to pay him more money to stay here.

What are you going to have pay him? Nothing much most likely.

I'm not advocating to pat him legit start $ by any means.

 

[dennehy]

Fantastic? Nah. We already know what Ifedi is. He's a below average G/T on a very bad OL. I'd rather get as many of the 2020 out of here as possible. Leno is probably already tough to cut because of the dead cap. Daniels and Whitehair will be here. Bars, Mustipher, Simmons, and Hambright probably are back to at least get a shot at a depth spot. I want to add a FA (maybe a 2nd really cheap one). I want to draft 2 OL. I'd rather Ifedi's spot go to a guy like Warford or Cordy Glenn who should be cheap after sitting out this year.

Warford and Glenn are going to cost way more $ despite sitting out imo.

 

[rawdawg]

What are you going to have pay him? Nothing much most likely.

I'm not advocating to pat him legit start $ by any means.

He got 910K this year. MSA talking about a 2-year deal, that would likely come with a raise (because nobody is taking a 900K deal for 2 years, he'd take another 1 year deal and hope he can get more the year after). So, lets assume about 1.5Mil. You can get a guy like Stefan Wisnewski for that money, an actual dependable (not great) backup.

 

[dennehy]

He got 910K this year. MSA talking about a 2-year deal, that would likely come with a raise (because nobody is taking a 900K deal for 2 years, he'd take another 1 year deal and hope he can get more the year after). So, lets assume about 1.5Mil. You can get a guy like Stefan Wisnewski for that money, an actual dependable (not great) backup.

Meh, Wisnewski is IOL only, 32, and coming off an injury. Ifedi, while not good, is probably a better RT than Massie right now.

 

[rawdawg]

Not to be a dick, but he'd be very good depth.

OL Depth in the nfl across the league is awful. I wouldn't mind retaining him on a 2 year deal around the same money if he takes it. You could do a lot worse for a backup. We have the last few years, lol. He has flexibility also to play 3 positions on the OL.

Keep Ifedi as the swing tackle. Cut massie, draft a RT in the 2nd round, start him. Daniels, Mustipher, Whitehair, Rookie.

No idea wtf you do with leno tho. That contract really fucked things.

Here's my issue. Your 2021 OL is Leno, Daniels, Mustipher, Whitehair, Rookie. Your backups in this scenario are likely Ifedi, Bars, and then a competition between guys like Simmons, Hambright, and a mid round pick. That's the same damn group as this current shitty group. You're banking on a healthy Daniels, a Whitehair move fixes him, and a rookie...oh and probably a coaching change.

The goal should be to turnover the talent on this line as soon as possible. Bringing back like 8 of the 9 guys who have been failures this year, ain't it.

 

[PFTCB]

Not to be a dick, but he'd be very good depth.

OL Depth in the nfl across the league is awful. I wouldn't mind retaining him on a 2 year deal around the same money if he takes it. You could do a lot worse for a backup. We have the last few years, lol. He has flexibility also to play 3 positions on the OL.

Keep Ifedi as the swing tackle. Cut massie, draft a RT in the 2nd round, start him. Daniels, Mustipher, Whitehair, Rookie.

No idea wtf you do with leno tho. That contract really fucked things.

Re: leno

I don't know either. They seem pretty attached to him and I truly wonder if it's all contract related. I know this season as well they don't appear to have other options and we may never know. Guy regresses every single year since he inked that paper, surely they have some contingencies in place.

 

[dennehy]

Here's my issue. Your 2021 OL is Leno, Daniels, Mustipher, Whitehair, Rookie. Your backups in this scenario are likely Ifedi, Bars, and then a competition between guys like Simmons, Hambright, and a mid round pick. That's the same damn group as this current shitty group. You're banking on a healthy Daniels, a Whitehair move fixes him, and a rookie...oh and probably a coaching change.

The goal should be to turnover the talent on this line as soon as possible. Bringing back like 8 of the 9 guys who have been failures this year, ain't it.

So what's the solution?

Unless you pick a legit LT prospect in the first or get lucky in the second this line isn't going to be fixed in one year, simply because Leno is so fucking bad.

I think getting someone who can play center, whether that's Austin Blythe, Josh Myers, or Mustipher, will really help because Whitehair and Daniels are both much better at G.

 

[rawdawg]

So what's the solution?

Unless you pick a legit LT prospect in the first or get lucky in the second this line isn't going to be fixed in one year, simply because Leno is so fucking bad.

I think getting someone who can play center, whether that's Austin Blythe, Josh Myers, or Mustipher, will really help because Whitehair and Daniels are both much better at G.

I'm not going to act like everything is going to be fixed in 1 year, but it shouldn't take more than 2 years.

I'd bring in an interior lineman. I don't care if it's a C or G. I would even consider Daniels back to C. Just get the best IOL you can afford. Blythe, Skura, even Alex Mack (though he's old) on a Jimmy Graham like contract if you have to. More likely, I would wait to see who's cut in the offseason so don't screw up potential comp picks.

I want QB in the 1st, but OT in the early-to-mid 2nd should definitely still be starter quality. I'd also ask Leno to take a paycut (similar to Kyle Long, and MIN did w/ Riley Reiff), if he doesn't I'd June 1 cut him too. I'd look to sign a guy like Zach Banner (cut weight and Steelers were raving about him before he tore his ACL) or Ty Sambrailo for the swing tackle (both should be under 2M like they were this year). Either could start if the rookie isn't ready or could be contingency plans if Leno doesn't come back or sucks again next season (likely).

Then in 2021, you determine if your drafted guy can play LT and if Daniels is worth re-signing. You can also use another high pick on either another tackle or to replace Daniels if necessary or Mack, if you go with a guy like that.