When it comes to the 2021 NFL draft? The Chicago Bears got glowing marks from almost every noteworthy expert. Their snagging of Justin Fields with the 11th pick is easily the most celebrated. Many had him as the second-best QB in the class. All of their other picks were considered strong value as well. It felt like GM Ryan Pace may have put together one of his best groups to date, at least on paper.
Well, all good things come to an end. No sooner has the draft ended than the criticism for Pace has once again resumed. This time in the form of what he’s done in the month since then. Chris Roling of Bleacher Report revealed five moves since the draft ended that are the worst in the NFL. The Bears managed to make that list. How so? Thanks to their decision to part ways with veteran left tackle Charles Leno.
“But the Bears cut veteran Charles Leno Jr. in early May, ending the tenure of one of the league’s most underrated tackles. Leno still had a solid 74.6 PFF grade (out of 100) last season over 1,066 snaps. He’s also been reliable, appearing in 16 games in each campaign since the 2015 season, his second in the league.
Part of the issue too is the Bears will rely on rookie Teven Jenkins to play left tackle right away, which could backfire. This could prove problematic in the short term while they try to compete with Dalton behind center—never mind over the long term if it hurts Fields’ ability to develop into the franchise passer the team thinks he can be.”
The decision to cut Leno wasn’t hard to understand.
Chicago didn’t have enough money to sign their draft class. They’d added two offensive tackles in Jenkins (2nd round) and Larry Borom (5th round). By releasing Leno post-June 1st, they’d secure $9 million in additional space. More than enough to handle that business. It was an unfortunate decision but one that made financial sense. While the man has always been serviceable, nobody could call him irreplaceable.
The primary concerns rest with Jenkins. Can he make the shift from right tackle to left tackle? He played almost his entire college career on the right side. So he’s is inexperienced and unproven on the left. Some evaluators wonder if he has the necessary quickness to handle that side of the ball. The Bears certainly seem confident in the rookie. Otherwise, they likely would’ve tried to find the money elsewhere.
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Leno’s time with Chicago Bears was already winding down
If he weren’t cut this offseason, he almost certainly was going to be in 2022. While never bad enough to be considered a true liability, Leno always flirted with that status. He was a master of spreading out his biggest mistakes. Yet too often he seemed overmatched when faced with good competition. His price tag finally reached a point where it wasn’t worth keeping him anymore.
Going with Jenkins is a definite risk. At the same time, the rookie is more talented than Leno. Many gave him 1st round grades prior to the draft. This is a guy with Pro Bowl potential if his blocking mechanics end up matching his raw physical tools. The Chicago Bears are taking the long view with this decision. If Jenkins can get settled in at left tackle sooner than later, he’ll be ready to guard the blindside of Fields whenever the QB begins his career.
Cutting Leno wasn’t about 2021.
This offseason suggests the Bears are focused on the future. They don’t want to just contend for this year in an effort to preserve jobs. They want to contend every year. To do that they need excellence at both quarterback and left tackle. They weren’t getting that from Leno. He isn’t a guy that was going to decide the overall fate of this season. The value of his loss is being somewhat overblown, which isn’t much of a surprise.
