The Philadelphia Eagles have shopped offensive guard Evan Mathis around the league for about a year now. On Thursday, they finally bit the bullet and released the 33-year-old veteran, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
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Mathis has been a Pro Bowl selection the last two seasons, including a First-Team All-Pro selection in 2013. With his incredible combination of technique, quickness and athleticism, Mathis is considered to be one of the best offensive guards in the entire NFL. In fact, Mathis was named the 88th best player in the NFL by his fellow league-mates.
One thing is for sure, Mathis is going to get a lot of attention from teams on the open market. Despite the competition, I strongly believe that the Chicago Bears should make a strong run for his services.
The Bears’ offensive line is decent, but adding Mathis could make them great. The whispers of Kyle Long moving from right guard to right tackle have gotten louder in recent days, which would open up a spot on the interior. How better to fill that spot than with who many consider to be the best guard in the NFL?
Aug 14, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears guard Kyle Long (75) during the second quarter of the preseason game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Bringing Mathis in would solidify the entire Bears’ offensive line. They already have some nice playmakers on offense in guys like Alshon Jeffery, Kevin White, Matt Forte and Martellus Bennett. If they can give quarterback Jay Cutler a great offensive line to work with as well, the Bears’ offense could easily become something special next season.
This may be a little bit of a shot in the dark, but Mathis is a free agent player who would clearly help the Bears. The team has almost $9 million in cap space according to Spotrac.com, which should be enough to bring Mathis in. Make it a two or even three-year offer, and the Bears just might get their guy.
Can Mathis be the missing piece for the Bears’ offense? It is hard to say, but there is only one way to find out for sure.