The Chicago Bears have an offensive line unit that, as of right now, isn’t great. Simply put, it’s an offensive line unit that could use work. And Ryan Poles knew that when he accepted the job with the Bears.
Not only was he aware of the fact that the Bears were in need of offensive linemen, but Ryan Poles played the position at an NFL level. While he wasn’t a top-pick tackle coming out of college, he knows what it takes to get into the league.
When Ryan Poles brings in an offensive lineman to the Chicago Bears’ roster, there’s a level of trust that Bears fans should try to find, as Poles is more qualified in analyzing lineman than any other position, seemingly.
Chicago Bears sign 31-year-old offensive guard, Michael Schofield
The Chicago Bears reportedly invited the Super Bowl champion guard to a workout on Sunday, July 24. Less than 24 hours later, the Bears decided he was worth a spot on the roster.
After this signing, it’s clear that the front office didn’t want to move Teven Jenkins or Larry Borom inside and rather wanted to find a different player to play inside. The most likely outcome is that it’s a competition between Jenkins and Borom for right tackle. It’s possible that both Jenkins and Borom start as tackles, but it might not be the best option to protect Fields.
All-in-all, the Bears have received a lot of outside criticism for their lack of support in Justin Fields, and while it would’ve been nice to get some big-name free agents for Fields to throw to, they weren’t necessarily available.
Poles explained his plan, and it is a plan that won’t start and finish within an hour. It’s a process that could take a full season to see the benefits of.
However, adding Michael Schofield to this offensive line should only be seen as a positive.
Schofield ended last season with a PFF grade of 66.8, while also only allowing two sacks. Along with that, he was penalized only three times on 907 snaps. So, he might not be the best guard in the entire league, but those players usually aren’t available like this.
For a team that struggled with penalties, as they averaged 6.2 penalties per game, adding Schofield should add a good level of discipline to a younger offensive line unit.
All-in-all, this is a great signing by Ryan Poles, as he does his due diligence on giving Justin Fields the protection he knows he needs.