Without much Bears news to talk about until training camp begins, I’m going to breakdown the Bears depth chart at every position. I’ll give a high-level overview of each position, highlight potential battles for both starting roles and roster spots and point out a few players to watch.
I’ve already covered the depth chart at a few positions:
- Quarterback
- Nose Tackle
- Defensive End
- Running Back
- Inside Linebacker
- Tight End
- Outside Linebacker
- Offensive Tackle
- Guard
Today I will be covering the Bears depth chart at center. The Bears center position was a bit of a revolving door with a mix of veteran Will Montgomery, rookie Hroniss Grasu, and guard Matt Slauson sharing time at the position.
None of the three dominated at the position, but the veterans were adequate and Grasu at least shown some flashes of competence though was overpowered too often. Slauson and Montgomery are no longer with the team, leaving Grasu as the favorite for the position but not without some competition.
Veteran Ted Larsen appears to be the main competition for the starting spot, but young players Cornelius Edison and Donovan Williams could compete as well. There is a good chance the Bears bring in some veteran depth as well after the retirement of Manny Ramirez.
Depth Chart: Center
Overview:
2015 3rd round pick Hroniss Grasu is the only remaining center from last year’s group, which gives him a decent chance to emerge as the starter but it won’t be easy. The Bears originally brought in veteran Manny Ramires from Denver to compete with Grasu for the job, but he decided to retire instead a few weeks ago.
That leaves free agent guard Ted Larsen as the main veteran competition for the center role. He played primarily center in both 2012 & 2013, so has plenty of experience at the position. It’s possible that rookie Cody Whitehair could be in the mix at center as well, though I think the Bears would prefer him at left guard after letting Matt Slauson walk. Recently signed Amini Silatolu could potentially play center, but all of his NFL experience is at left guard.
With the recent retiring of veteran tackle Nate Chandler, the Bears will be looking to add more depth on the offensive line. Practice squad center Cornelius Edison and rookie Donovan Williams could show enough promise for the Bears to be comfortable with the center depth currently on the roster.
I’ll break down the starter prospects, depth options, those players fighting for a roster spot, and a player to watch in 2016.
Next: Position Battles (Starters)