Chicago Bears: 5 hot takes on NFL officiating, Roquan Smith and more

Hot take: Larry Borom is a franchise tackle

Is Larry Borom a franchise tackle
After going to the IR early in the season, rookie tackle Larry Borom has been moved into the starting lineup in recent weeks, opposite Jason Peters. In April, Borom was a fifth-round selection for the Bears and wasn’t expected to play a meaningful role as a rookie, but injuries have allowed Borom to get reps against some of the best edge rushers in football. He has faced TJ Watt and Nick Bosa; not exactly the easiest way to start a pro career, but there is a lot of value in having a young, raw player face the best of the best.

Contrary to popular belief, Borom has held up reasonably well against Watt and Bosa. Of the five total sacks Watt and Bosa had against the Bears, only one was charged to Borom, so Watt and Bosa had success against the Bears. This isn’t to say Borom doesn’t have areas for improvement. Still, he is showing early on the potential to be a solid tackle in the future.

Bottom line

As mentioned before, Borom was never drafted to be an immediate impact player, and had Teven Jenkins not gotten back surgery; he would’ve been a sure backup. The fact he is playing this early and showing some positive flashes means that he is at the very least ahead of schedule. It’s hard to project a player’s career off of two starts where he faced all pro-level talents, but there is certainly a path for Borom to become a solid tackle.