It isn’t a secret at this point. The Chicago Bears will be gunning for offensive line help this off-season. That is the byproduct of allowing 58 sacks in a season. GM Ryan Poles is a former lineman himself, as is assistant GM Ian Cunningham. This is something they’re both passionate about. It won’t be a surprise if they invest significant resources into upgrading that area of the roster. That includes free agency and the draft. The tricky part is finding prospects that are not only talented but fit their specific scheme.
Chicago’s offense under Luke Getsy runs a variation of the Kyle Shanahan system. This is a zone-blocking scheme with a focus on the edges. That means linemen in it are often required to be out on the move, working in space. Power and size are less critical than quickness, athleticism, and technique. Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic spoke to scouts at the Senior Bowl about certain names that might catch the Bears’ attention. One surprise that came up is a prominent small school sleeper.
“As for the rookies Poles and assistant GM Ian Cunningham watched in Mobile, the highest-ranked offensive lineman was Florida’s O’Cyrus Torrence, a guard who is a shade under 6-foot-5 with massive 11 1/4-inch hands and an 84-inch wingspan. Two scouts thought Torrence was better suited for a gap scheme than what the Bears run.
I asked about an offensive lineman who could fit the Bears’ zone scheme, and one scout mentioned Old Dominion’s Nick Saldiveri.“
Saldiveri checks multiple boxes for the Chicago Bears.
First off, there is the size. He is 6’6, 311 lbs, and boasts arms over 33 inches long. Those are solid numbers for an interior offensive lineman. That is a big part of why he is such an effective pass-blocker. Evaluators love his technique, intelligence, and footwork when taking on rushers. It showed in Mobile on multiple occasions. Last but not least is temperament. It was evident Saldiveri had a salty edge to him. He isn’t afraid to play nasty. Poles wants more violence up front. He is willing to provide it.
The primary concerns with him are his average power and inconsistency when operating in space. He must get several technical issues cleaned up, particularly in the run game. Current projections have him going in the 4th round. His lack of experience against top competition will keep teams wary of taking him too early. However, he has significant upside and showed he could hang with the big boys at the Senior Bowl. The Chicago Bears might love adding him to the mix at both guard and center.
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Carlitopen- there is always a need to turn the bottom of your roster to improve your team depth. It keeps the team on their toes and it improves your depth especially when players get injured, so yes, projects are welcome.
The Bears don’t need anymore projects. They need to draft a center or get one through F/A. We need to upgrade our online with a true center. Stop playing positional games
I still want John Michael Schmitz at Center more than any other o-linemen in the draft.