Bears Sign T Nate Chandler

Depth at the tackle position was one of most glaring holes left on the Chicago Bears 2016 roster and they helped fill it today by signing veteran tackle Nate Chandler, most recently of the Carolina Panthers.

After a visit yesterday with former #1 overall pick T Jake Long, he seemed to be the favorite for the Bears swing tackle position but in a surprise move the Bears signed Chandler this afternoon. Whether they weren’t satisfied with Long’s health or just liked Chandler better, GM Ryan Pace made his decision today.

Chandler, who just turned 27 on Wednesday, is a former undrafted free agent out of UCLA who signed with the Panthers in 2012 and has spent his entire career there. He started his career on the practice squad, but was promoted to the active roster early in his rookie season and appeared in 12 games. Over the 2013 & 2014 seasons, Chandler started 19 games at right guard and right tackle and played well enough for the Panthers to sign Chandler to a three-year extension before the 2014 season.

Unfortunately Chandler suffered a knee injury near the end of the 2014 season which cut his season short and kept him on the IR for all of 2015.  Chandler hasn’t played an NFL game since week 11 in 2014, but apparently the Bears were comfortable enough to sign Chandler to a one-year deal to be the Bears swing tackle.

His best position is probably right tackle, which gives the Bears a little insurance in case free agent Bobby Massie doesn’t live up to expectations. Chandler is a bit undersized for an NFL tackle at 6’4, 294 and moved well (pre-injury), which could make him a good fit for new OC Dowell Loggains’ zone-blocking scheme.

After the release of last year’s 6th round pick T Tayo Fabuluje, Chandler and unknown practice squad alum Nick Becton are the Bears two primary back-ups at the tackle position. It’s still a bit of a weak spot with Chandler’s injury history and Becton’s lack of experience, but the Bears are in better shape depth wise at tackle than they were yesterday.