The Chicago Bears really felt like things would be different this year on offense. They overhauled the coaching staff, rebuilt the tight end room, and added more depth at wide receiver. They also traded for a steady, capable quarterback in Nick Foles. Yet despite all of this, the unit continues to struggle producing even at a modest level
After finishing 29th in both points scored and yards gained in 2019, the Bears have improved to 27th through the first five games of 2020. Not exactly the leap head coach Matt Nagy was hoping for. This has led to plenty of recriminations about why. Is it Nagy’s scheme? Maybe he just isn’t a good enough play caller.
That would be easier to accept for fans. In reality though? The truth is far simpler. Chicago just hasn’t invested enough in their offensive line over the past few years and now GM Ryan Pace’s team is paying the price for that negligence.
Chicago Bears blew two huge opportunities to fortify the line
Finding good offensive linemen is difficult in the draft. Especially outside of the 1st round. In the past 10 years, a total of 21 future Pro Bowl blockers were taken in the top 32 picks. Only 11 could claim the same honor in the 2nd round or later. The Bears for their part have drafted just two offensive linemen in the 1st round during that span. One in 2011 (Gabe Carimi) and the other in 2013 (Kyle Long).
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They had five other opportunities to continue that trend since. Both 2019 and 2020 weren’t possible due to the Khalil Mack trade. Drafting Kyle Fuller in 2014 and Roquan Smith in 2018 is excusable since both filled big needs and have become quality players. Their 2017 decision at quarterback, while an eventual disappointment with Mitch Trubisky, is also understandable. That offensive line crop has proven to be weak in the years since anyway.
For Pace and his front office, it comes down to two instances where they had a prime opportunity to bolster the offensive line. Each of which they passed on for flashier but less proven prospects
2015:
- Took – Kevin White
- Passed on – Andrus Peat
It became apparent almost right away that Pace lacked a vision on how to properly build an offense with his first-ever draft pick. Having traded Brandon Marshall earlier that offseason, he sought to regain that firepower by drafting athletic freak Kevin White out of West Virginia at #7. A bit of a gamble considering White had just one year of standout production.
#Saints LG Andrus Peat climbing to the 2nd level & finishing a DB with authority. Set the tone for a 14 play scoring drive too 👊 pic.twitter.com/ghNrx7C3hs
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) June 26, 2017
Meanwhile, Andrus Peat of Stanford was considered one of the safer picks in the class. Maybe not an eventual superstar but a guy who should have a solid NFL career. The New Orleans Saints took him at #13 and he soon morphed into a two-time Pro Bowl guard. Remember Matt Slauson, the Bears’ left guard at the time, had missed 11 games with injury the year before. It’s surprising they didn’t sense now might’ve been a good chance to find his eventual replacement since he was turning 29-years old.
2016:
- Took – Leonard Floyd
- Passed on – Laremy Tunsil
This situation is by far the more egregious of Pace’s mistakes though. It was no secret the Chicago Bears needed pass rush help going into 2016. Pernell McPhee had health issues they couldn’t ignore while Willie Young and Lamarr Houston weren’t considered great fits for Vic Fangio’s 3-4 system. Pace decided to gamble by trading up from #11 to #9 to grab Leonard Floyd out of Georgia. Another athletic freak. However, unlike White, he had no standout season to back up being picked so high.
Floyd had just 17 sacks total in three full years as a starter. Never more than 6.5 in a season.
Circling back on OL/DL I didn't get to watch every snap of from week 1 & started with #FinsUp LT Laremy Tunsil. 3rd year, 2nd at LT, just turned 24 last month. Massive improvement in pass pro, namely w/getting to his spot, keeping his hips square to the LOS, & improved UOH: pic.twitter.com/SoLCh3E1Hp
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) September 17, 2018
All the while, Laremy Tunsil was slipping down the boards. Most viewed the Ole Miss product as one of the best offensive tackle prospects in years. A big, physical, athletic monster with an All-Pro ceiling. Odds are he would’ve gone in the top 5 if not for somebody leaking a video of him smoking marijuana just hours before the draft. This caused him to fall to #13 where he was picked up by the Miami Dolphins. He has since gone on to become that Pro Bowl left tackle for the Houston Texans after being traded for a mountain of picks.
The Bears chose to go with Charles Leno Jr. who has been largely average during his time as the starter.
Now the Chicago Bears face the reality of a rebuild in 2021
These decisions didn’t amount to much in the short-term, but the consequences since then have proven costly. The Bears offense has never ranked above 15th in Pace’s tenure as GM. Now it appears he could be facing a major overhaul of the entire offensive line in 2021. All of this with the salary cap projected to plunge up to $23 million.
As many as three spots on the starting five could end up seeing changes. Germain Ifedi will be a free agent at right guard. Tackles Leno Jr. and Bobby Massie could also be cut in order to save a badly-needed $11.6 million in cap space. That’s three starting spots they’d have to fill with little spending money and what is shaping up to be later picks in the 1st and 2nd rounds.
Not ideal.