Could Tyler Larsen be an offensive line answer for the Chicago Bears in free agency?

The Chicago Bears are going to need to address center in free agency this offseason. Lucas Patrick is a free agent this year, and it is so hard to see him coming back after how back in the 2023 season was. Cody Whitehair is still technically on the salary cap, but the team is going to have to make him a cap casualty in the coming weeks. Even Dan Feeney is a free agent. Would they be best suited to sign Tyler Larsen?

Should Chicago Bears sign Tyler Larsen in free agency this offseason?

Larsen has spent most of his career as a depth option. He will be 33 years old next season and he has been in the NFL since 2016. As a rookie he started five games, then he started 10 games in his second NFL season. While he did not get much work in the following years after that, he did stay with the Panthers as a depth option. 

In 2021, when he followed some of the staff from the Carolina Panthers who joined Ron Rivera with the Washington Commanders. Larsen started three games in 2021, but an Achilles injury ended his year. He came back in week six of the following year and started eight games before a knee cap injury ended his season. 

In 2023, he started seven more games, coming back in week eight. However, for a third straight year, he finished the season on the IR. 

The pros to signing Larsen are that he will come cheap due to his age and injury history. However, he has 2,308 career snaps at center and could jump in as long as he is healthy. This could hold things down until the Chicago Bears draft a center or find a long-term replacement. The Bears could ride with Larsen early on, and then when Larsen inevitably gets banged up or sees his age catch up to him, the rookie is ready to step. There are worse options that could be considered by the Chicago Bears in free agency this offseason.