1 crucial offensive adjustment the Chicago Bears need to make in 2024

Detroit Lions v Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions v Chicago Bears / Todd Rosenberg/GettyImages
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One of the more telling signs of the dysfunction of former Chicago Bears' offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's system with the team is that there constant points of contention between former Bears' quarterback Justin Fields and who was playing center for the Bears that week.

Over the past two weeks, the Bears have not had a true center. Cody Whitehair developed the yips when playing the center position for the Bears, and in 2023, he was unplayable at the position. We can still see the vivid image of Fields yelling at former teammate Dan Feeney after the two had trouble coordinating the snap. Lucas Patrick, well, he was there, and that is all that will be remembered of his time with the Bears.

Looking beyond the change at the quarterback position for the Bears, beyond the additions of D'Andre Swift, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze, and beyond the change of offensive coordinators; the biggest improvement for the Bears' offense during the 2024 season needs to be at the center position.

The biggest adjustment that the Bears can make on offense this season is at the center position.

With a rookie quarterback in Caleb Williams returning to having audible cadence after using hand signals and clapping at USC, it will be imperative that the exchange between the center position and Williams does not create hitches as it did for Fields and his handful of centers who he played with.

Ryan Bates seems to be the first man up at the center position for the Bears this season. The Bears dealt a fifth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills for Bates earlier this season, and the belief is that he has an upper hand over Coleman Shelton for being the team's starting center. However, Shelton has more experience as a center.

Regardless, the two need to produce better than the Bears have had at center in recent seasons. If not, Connor Williams remains a free agent that the Bears could sign.

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