The Chicago Bears are a little over a quarter of the way through the season, and with a small break between the Thursday game and the following Sunday, it was a good time to sit back and look at how the offensive line has performed. We graded this group after two weeks; how have they held up after five games?
Chicago Bears left tackle
Braxton Jones: 126 snaps
Primary matchups: Preston Smith, Justin Hollins, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Anthony Nelson
It will be hard not to give Braxton Jones an incomplete. He gave up a sack to Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, and he had a couple of back-breaking penalties. Some big negatives negated what was a pretty sound start to the season overall. On the snaps, when the major mistakes did not come, solid play was shown. However, he did not get a chance to build on it as he sits on the IR right now with a potential season-ending injury.
Braxton Jones Grade: C+
Larry Borom: 187 snaps
Primary matchups: Mike Danna, Felix Anuduike-Uzomah, Nik Bonitto, Jonathan Cooper, Chase Young
Larry Borom mostly played right tackle, so this was always going to be an adjustment. He did fine against the Kansas City Chiefs pass rush, although that game got out of hand quickly. Then, he was a disappointment against both Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper. He committed two penalties, allowed a sack, and four pressures per PFF.
On Thursday night, he was worked often by Chase Young. Justin Fields was prepared to help his man, and the Commanders secondary was so bad that it did not matter, but Borom has played two poor games back-to-back, and that has to be concerning.
Larry Borom Grade: D-
Chicago Bears left guard
Cody Whitehair: 265 snaps
Primary matchups: TJ Slaton, Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, Logan Hall, Mike Greene, Neil Farrell, Derrick Nnadi, Zach Allen, Jonathan Harris
You could say that this is the worst season of Cody Whitair's career, and it is not relatively close. Kenny Clark beat him for a sack in week one, and he struggled with Logan Hall for most of the day in week two. Clark can be excused, and Hall is up and coming, but his pass protection had been a major issue.
You could argue he played well against the Chiefs, but you could also argue that the game was over in the first quarter, and he was spared a lousy performance. He came back and struggled with Zach Allen, although compared to weeks one and two, you could say he played better. We will not grade his center play here, so after just 16 snaps in week five, we may have a final grade for Whitheair. It was not a good run, but he did spend the offseason focused on switching to center.
Cody Whitehair grade at LG: D+
Teven Jenkins: 37 snaps
Primary matchup: Jonathan Allen
The minute Teven Jenkins came in, it looked like things had changed. He played with violence and pace that was not being displayed on this line. Jenkins missed the first four games with an injury, but he is back now. He was eased in, and an injury actually forced him back before the Bears wanted it to happen.
Still, this may be for the best for Jenkins. He got his feet wet, now gets extra time off to rest and recover, and get ready for the grind of the season that will hit him on Sunday. So far, he is the best Bears lineman.
Teven Jenkins Grade: A
Ja'Tyre Carter: 11 snaps
Primary Matchup: Jonathan Allen
Carter only had 11 snaps at left guard, but Jonathan Allen had some really good reps against him. He had a couple of pressures and a few big stops in the run game when Carter played.
Ja'Tyre Carter grade at LG: D-
Chicago Bears center
Lucas Patrick: 269 snaps
Dan Feeney: 2 snaps
Primary matchups: TJ Slaton, Kenny Clark, Greg Gaines, Vita Vea, Derrick Nnadi, DJ Jones
From the moment he signed with the Chicago Bears nothing has gone well for Lucas Patrick. He has failed to stay healthy, and when he has been on the field, he has been a disaster. He started his season against Kenny Clark and Vita Vea back-to-back. That is not an easy way to start your season. Derrick Nnadi played well against him in the Kansas City game, and you can argue his play against Denver was some of the worst of his career. He was about to get benched with the return of Teven Jenkins, but an injury sped up that process.
Lucas Patrick Grade: F
Cody Whitehair: 42 snaps
Primary matchup: John Ridgeway
We are not saying that Cody Whitehair came out and changed everything with this performance, but the duo of Whitehair and Jenkins looked so much better than what Whitehair and Patrick were putting together. This should be how the line looks moving forward.
Cody Whitehair Grade: C
Chicago Bears right guard
Nate Davis: 210 snaps
Primary matchups: Colby Wooden, Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, Jonathan Harris, Zach Allen, Daron Payne
Nate Davis did not start his career with the Bears on the right foot. However, it is easy to see his circumstances when you understand the family situation he was going through. With a lot on his mind and almost no practice, he was awful in week one.
Davis took some time off, and came back week four. This is when the Chicago Bears offense started to gel as well. Davis played a flawless game against the Broncos pass rush. Da'Ron Payne got him a few times, and his run blocking had issues against that power, but overall, he was fine. He is finally gelling with rookie Darnell Wright, and those two should take these last two games and get better.
Nate Davis Grade: C+
Ja'Tyre Carter: 103 snaps
Primary matchups: Vita Vea, Tershawn Wharton, Chris Jones
Ja'Tyre Carter was thrown in as a backup in week two against Vita Vea. Those are tough circumstances and he did not live up to them. He struggled against the Kansas City Chiefs as well, as Tershawn Wharton had a great game. The combination of Carter leaving and Davis improving has this unit a lot better.
Ja'Tyre Carter Grade: D+
Chicago Bears right tackle
Darnell Wright: 313 snaps
Primary matchups: Lukas Van Ness, Kinglsey Enagbare, Rashan Gary, Shaq Barrett, Yaya Diaby, George Karlaftis, Nik Bonitto, Jonathan Cooper, Montez Sweat
Darnell Wright is the only player on the line who has played every snap without an injury or shuffling. He has done what a top pick is expected do. Still, he is doing what a rookie is expected to do. He has given up a couple of sacks, but his worse losses are against Rashan Gary, Montez Sweat, and Chris Jones. Nik Bonitto beat him with an inside move, and there are moments when his feet look too slow against speed in pass protection.
However, his feet look excellent as a run blocker, and he is used in countless ways to improve this area. He has pulled, performed down blocks, and he gets to the second-level with ease.
Wright has had a few penalties, he can lunge in run support, and he has issues with speed. Still, he has feet that show improvement, he has great size to anchor, and power has never been an issue, and he is reliable. This is what the Bears need.
Darnell Wright grade: B+