Chicago Bears RT Larry Borom advanced stats review
Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears’ new front office did not get to see a long look at second-round pick Teven Jenkins during his rookie season. However, fifth-round pick Larry Borom played over 600 snaps as a rookie, logging 85 at left tackle, and 546 at right tackle.
The new staff will learn plenty about Larry Borom soon, and Borom will have to earn snaps this year just like everyone else. Still, it is beneficial for the new staff to go in and watch how Borom performed during his rookie season to set expectations and find things to work on. How did he look, and is there a reason for optimism?
Larry Borom advanced stats review
Last season Larry Borom ranked 76th in pass protection efficiency. That is out of 78 qualified tackles. On true pass sets, which are plays that take away screens, RPOs, and spikes, Borom ranked 71st out of 84. This is obviously disappointing and names such as Jesse Davis, Blake Hance, and Brady Christensen surrounding him do not bring optimism.
Christensen is a rookie, and he is expected to move to guard for his second season after struggling at tackle. Speaking of rookies, it may be fairer to put Borom in the context of his draft class, considering he is a fifth-round pick who had to move sides as a rookie.
Still, 10 rookies had more than 200 pass-blocking snaps. Larry Borom ranked 8th in pass block efficiency. The two names below him are Jake Curhan, who will be competing to start at right tackle with rookie Abe Lucas in Seattle, and then Liam Eichenberg, a player who is moving positions after the Dolphins signed Terron Armstead. To be fair to Borom and the Bears, he was the last player drafted of the ten players to qualify as rookies.
Borom also ranked 22nd in fewest penalties committed per snap. Still, even this was just sixth amongst rookies.
As a run blocker, Borom rated 69th amongst 86 qualified tackles. To be fair to him, he ranked 62nd in zone blocking, and he spent the third-most snaps as a zone blocker of any tackle last season. Still, the Bears will continue to be zone heavy, and 62nd out of 86 is better than 69th, but not good.
As a run blocker, he finished better than Eichenberg, Christensen, and also Dan Moore from the Steelers. Again, he was the last player drafted of the group, so finishing above some of these names can be a feat.
At the same time, he was below average not only compared to the NFL but compared to rookie expectations. The combination of a new offense, Borom having that learning experience, and the team hopefully putting him at left tackle and keeping him there could cause for a second-year jump.
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At the same time, the Chicago Bears front office should be in a mode where they believe it when they see it and do not give him the benefit of the doubt because he got on the field earlier than expected. Borom should have to compete and beat out Braxton Jones, and if Jones looks better in training camp, the Bears should not fear starting Jones over Borom.