What does the Chicago Bears offensive line depth chart look like?
The Chicago Bears entered the offseason knowing that the offensive line needed to be better in 2020 than 2019. The team made some small personnel changes, but are relying on a coaching change, plus continuity amongst 4 of 5 starters to be the big difference upfront.
With the 2020 draft behind us, there will not be many more moves to make on the roster. After an offseason of changes, what does the depth chart look like on the offensive line in 2020?
Tackles:
Left: Charles Leno, Right: Bobby Massie
Charles Leno has proven that he is about average as a left tackle. The Bears could do better, but for the price they are paying him, they certainly could do worse. Massie is the bigger question of the two. Coming off of a season where he crossed the age 30 apex and was hit with the injury bug, there are questions as to how he can bounce back.
Depth: Alex Bars, Jason Spriggs, Dino Boyd, Badara Traore
Bars was an intriguing UDFA last year and is fully healthy this offseason. The question with Bars is where he would slot in. Last year, the team started Rashad Coward, and even Ted Larsen late into the season over Bars at right guard. Adding in that the team added a lot of guard depth, but not much future competition at tackle, I am going to speculate and say that they view Bars as a tackle. If they wanted to give him looks at guard, they had plenty of chances and passed them up.
Perhaps a rookie year of recovering and catching up from his injury followed by a second year developing could lead to stepping into Massie’s shoes in year three? It is also worth noting that with his former college coach Harry Hiestand out of the way, they may have soured on him altogether.
Spriggs was brought in as depth but has shown to be below average on the field. Boyd and Traore are the young options who may make their way to the practice squad.
Guard
Left: James Daniels, Right: Germain Ifedi
The big question is who will start at right guard. From the group below, Ifedi has the most pedigree, experience, and was sought out the most. He has not played right guard for three years, but has been a consistent starter in Seattle, and is the leader in the clubhouse in Chicago as well.
Depth: Rashaad Coward, Arlington Hambright, Lachavious Simmons, Dieter Eiselen, Corey Levin
Coward will compete to win back his job, but there would have to be significant improvements from his 2019 play for that to be possible. A developing backup is his best current role. Hambright played tackle and will make the transition to guard in year one, while Simmons was a powering small-school left guard who will see if he can physically hold up. Levin is this year’s Ted Larsen as the depth guard with center versatility, and Eiselen is a UDFA guard from Yale. He has just as good of a shot as the two draft picks to make this roster.
Center
Cody Whitehair
Sam Mustipher
Whitehair is going to start the entire year at center, which should help with continuity. The switching and back and forth has likely been exhausting. Mustipher is a center without position flexibility. He is another Hiestand UDFA from Notre Dame, but with Levin being the only other player on the roster with swing-center ability, Mustipher has a decent shot.
Final Say:
The five starters are locks to make the roster, and four are locks in their starting spot. From there, the competition will genuinely play itself with three or four backup spots on the line.
Bars, Spriggs, Coward, Hambright, and Simmons, have inside tracks, but one of Levin or Mustipher will make it.
One of Boyd or Treore will likely see practice squad consideration at tackle, and the two draft picks, Eiselen and Mustipher, have eligibility as well. The top four are set, but the competition at the back end of the roster on the offensive line will be the most important to watch.