Are the Chicago Bears changing up the offensive line again?
Will the Chicago Bears ever find continuity on the offensive line?
Will the offensive line be the downfall of Ryan Poles’ first season as general manager? Poles’ approach to the line seemed to be a big-picture approach. There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, I’ve enjoyed it now that I’ve seen it in action. I think it’s the right move for this franchise. However, if he couldn’t find a better right guard to play over Jenkins or a better center to play over Mustipher by Week 1 then that’s poor personnel management no matter how you look at it.
Poles can’t be concerned about Justin Fields being hit over and over the week before the season starts and not make a bigger emphasis to address it short-term earlier in the offseason. The moves they made were for the long-term once they decided to play the young guys over the likes of Michael Schofield and Riley Reiff. Playing Patrick at guard over Jenkins now just seems like a back-tracking move in that regard.
If this is a one-week situation that will shift Patrick back to center and Jenkins (or whoever will be the full-time starter) back to right guard, then so be it. However, if the team is going to constantly be shifting guys around on the offensive line without injuries being the cause, then I am concerned with how the line will ever build the continuity needed to be a solid unit in 2022 and beyond.