The Chicago Bears starting center Sam Mustipher will be a free agent this offseason, Many fans are excited about this development and cannot wait to let him go. However, you have to remember that this is not about what you would do, and more about what the front office does.
Let’s circle back to August when Lucas Patrick was healthy. Do you remember who this coaching had starting at right guard? It was Sam Mustipher. We wrote throughout the summer that not only was Sam Mustipher safe on the roster but he was closer to starting than being cut.
Will Chicago Bears re-sign Sam Mustipher?
The discussion was laughed at as so many fans were so sure that Sam Mustipher would get cut. Then, the coaching staff that bought into Mustipher from OTAs to training camp and now to the regular season was starting him at center.
Was his season good? No. However, against the Buffalo Bills, the coaching staff named Mustipher an honorary captain. Mustipher played 100% of the snaps last year, and 99% of the snaps this season.
You may not like him, and there are better options, but it is obvious that fans and the coaching staff see differently on this one.
The reality is that Mustipher is exactly what this coaching staff would want from a depth lineman. He obviously understands the scheme, and he obviously fits into the culture, as shown by his captain status and elevations in practice. Beyond that, the team knows that he will not get injured easily, which is an issue in the NFL.
He did not have a good season, but teams do not usually turn away starting linemen who have a track record of being healthy. If Mustipher thinks that he can get a starter salary, than the best to him.
However, he is going to sign for low-end money with little to no guarantees. The Chicago Bears know what they have in him, he is going to be in the right price range for a backup, and he may be more willing to re-sign with a team he knows rather than test the market.
The same Chicago Bears fans who thought he would be cut in August are all telling you he will not be back, even as a backup. Just like him starting this entire season, the thought that he is back on a cheap deal is more realistic than many fans want to believe.