We know that the Chicago Bears season will go as far as the offensive line allows it to go. Sitting at 0-2, there are questions about the offensive coordinator, quarterback, head coach, and of course, the offensive line. So, who have the been strengths and weaknesses of this line, and which players need to perform better? We grade each position on the unit to find out.
Chicago Bears left tackle
Braxton Jones: 126 snaps
Primary matchups: Preston Smith, Justin Hollins, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Anthony Nelson
The big issue for Braxton Jones right now is penalties. Per PFF, he has been flagged five times in two games. Some of them have impacted the results of drives. That will impact the final grade, but overall he has been sound. Joe Tyron-Shoyinka beat him for a sack right after a false start, easily the worst two plays of his season.
However, aside from the penalties, he was the best blocker against the Green Bay Packers, and aside from one sack against the Bucs, he handled himself well here. Jones has been quick with his feet, which is impressive. It looked like JTS timed the snap count right because the sack he allowed, he was beaten clean off of the football. Every other snap results in him winning because of his speed.
Things need cleaned up, but it easy to find positives in his play if you watch every snap.
Braxton Jones Grade: C+
Chicago Bears left guard
Cody Whitehair: 126 snaps
Primary matchups: TJ Slaton, Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, Logan Hall, Mike Greene
Things have gotten tough for Cody Whitehair after he had been a long-standing positive influence on the roster for years. However, he has suffered multiple injuries in the past three seasons, and his play has dropped off. Now, the team had him practice at center all summer, only to shift to left guard weeks before the season. It has not gone well.
To be fair, he saw a lot of Kenny Clark in week one and gave up a sack. He also got pushed around by Vita Vea in the few snaps that these two squared up. The competition is tough, but Whitehair has been an issue. He does not have the speed or strength to hold up in the run game or get out to the second level. He has handled speed fine as a pass blocker, but those big bodies have tossed him to the side too often this season.
The Bears should have seen this coming after his most recent play, and it is easier to blame them for putting Whitehair in this spot than it is to blame Whitehair for struggling.
Cody Whitehair grade: D+
Chicago Bears center
Lucas Patrick: 124 snaps
Dan Feeney: 2 snaps
Primary matchups: TJ Slaton, Kenny Clark, Greg Gaines, Vita Vea
Lucas Patrick missed two snaps and Dan Feeney had a bad snaps in case you were wondering why the team will not bench Patrick. Also, that will have to impact the grade of Feeney. Still, overall, Patrick has been poor. It has been a recipe for disaster.
First, he was injured almost the entire summer and hardly practiced this offseason. When he did, he was working at guard often, and his switch back to center came late in the year. More than that, he has seen a lot of Kenny Clark and Vita Vea, two true nose tackles. Needless to say, he has been beaten more often than he wins.
This has probably been the biggest issue. Upfront, right in the center of the line, they get no push, and on one snap, Feeney gave them disaster. The Chicago Bears thought that by moving on from Sam Mustipher, they would upgrade. However, sticking with Cody Whitehair, who has struggled at center before and Patrick who has never proven anything in Chicago, was not the right answer. Now, the team is in trouble.
Lucas Patrick Grade: F
Dan Feeney Grade: F
Chicago Bears right guard
Nate Davis: 74 snaps
Ja'Tyre Carter: 52 snaps
Primary matchups: Colby Wooden, Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, Vita Vea
Nate Davis played the first game. We can excuse him for missing the second game due to family issues and personal reasons, but he was on the field in week one, and we have to grade it. He was awful. After a poor first season, he made Devonte Wyatt look like a breakout performer. He was supposed to be a run blocker from the Tennessee Titans but did not show a fight in the run game. Then, he missed week two.
Ja'Tyre Carter handled spot starter duty about as well as he could. Having Vita Vea in his face a lot in his debut did not help. Carter hit a few combination blocks and was always looking for work. However, the physical dominance beat him. He allowed an ugly pressure by Logan Hall that forced Justin Fields to throw the ball away. We can cut him a little more slack because he is the backup, but he does not look like he should be pushing Nate Davis this season.
Nate Davis Grade: F
Ja'Tyre Carter Grade: D+
Chicago Bears right tackle
Darnell Wright: 126 snaps
Primary matchups: Lukas Van Ness, Kinglsey Enagbare, Rashan Gary, Shaq Barrett, Yaya Diaby
The Chicago Bears' right tackle may be the bright spot on the line. Granted, he did struggle in the few snaps at that he was lined up against Rashan Gary. Still, almost all of the pressure generated from the right side has been because Justin Fields either holds the ball too long, drops in the pocket too deep, or steps into the pressure himself. For the most part, Darnell Wright has done his job.
To be fair, his competition has not been elite, either. Both Gary and Barrett are coming back from season-ending injuries and both are being eased back into the mix at this part of the season. Van Ness and Diaby are rookies, and Enagbare is unproven. Still, he was great for almost the entire game against Barrett, and he shut down Enagbare for all intents and purposes.
Considering these are the first two games of his career, we do not have to qualify any of his wins and put any asterisks beside them. He handled his own regardless of competition, and through two weeks he has been the best offensive lineman on the Chicago Bears.
Darnell Wright grade: B