The Chicago Bears added depth to their offensive line in the form of Germain Ifedi but a closer review of his advanced statistics indicates he is not the answer.
This wasn’t what everyone had in mind when the Chicago Bears knew they needed offensive line help. According to reports, the team has signed Germain Ifedi to a one-year deal.
The former 31st overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft spent his first four years in the league with the Seattle Seahawks. He’s managed to stay relatively healthy while lining up both at right guard and tackle in his 60 career games.
However, he’s also been responsible for 52 penalties, including 19 in 2017, while allowing 21 sacks, according to PFF. That’s not exactly comforting, even if he’s only meant to be depth or competition in training camp. The Seahawks had declined his fifth-year option before the 2019 season, and he proved that that was the right decision.
There’s no denying that the Bears’ offensive line needs a complete overhaul. After a relatively stable 2018, injuries and regression hit the team hard and impacted the play behind the line. Now with Kyle Long no longer in the mix, the Bears are likely to focus on selecting a right guard early on in next month’s draft.
Former #Seahawks OL Germain Ifedi is signing a 1-year deal with the #Bears, source said. The former first-rounder gets a fresh start and may play guard in Chicago.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 25, 2020
Charles Leno Jr. was a trainwreck last season and has generally been on the downturn since 2017. In the last three years, Leno has committed 32 penalties while allowing 13 sacks. The Bears don’t need another guy on the opposite side doing the same.
I’m not sure I agree with making a move just to make a move here. The Bears would be better off investing their time and resources in a future draft pick. What do you think about the signing of Ifedi?