A couple of days ago the NFL media machine revealed the New Orleans Saints had released veteran guard Larry Warford. It came as a minor surprise considering the 28-year old went to three Pro Bowls for them. However, the arrival of 1st round pick Cesar Ruiz made him and his expensive contract expendable. Now he’s a free agent. Word quickly leaked out that the Chicago Bears were interested.
It made sense. The retirement of Kyle Long left a considerable void at right guard. One Warford could easily fill. However, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk quickly poured cold water on those hopes. Despite initial interest, he stated the Bears would not pursue the guard. It isn’t clear why though Ian Rapoport stated Warford was seeking around $7 million per year in his next contract. Given Chicago has barely $10 million in cap space, that makes any deal difficult.
One person though believes the Bears need to reconsider that decision. Matt Bowen of ESPN argues Warford would be a superior option to anything else they have on the roster.
“Warford made the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons in New Orleans, but the team used a first-round pick on an interior lineman in April and last week released Warford.
Bowen: Bears. Chicago signed veteran guard Germain Ifedi to a one-year deal this offseason. Adding Warford, however, would bolster the interior of the offensive line and the run game.”
Larry Warford is a good player but a questionable fit
The thing to remember about the NFL is unlike other leagues, scheme fit matters a lot. Many times a player who thrived in one system will find he’s not a good fit for another. This is the fear with Warford. While a punishing run blocker and smart pass protector, he does have one major concern. He’s not mobile. Experts see him as slow-footed who doesn’t do well in space.
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This would be a problem in the Bears’ offense. With a zone-blocking system, it demands offensive linemen who can pull and get out on the move. It’s not a coincidence they drafted guys like James Daniels and Cody Whitehair. Warford is not that type of player. That said, coaches can work around such issues as the Saints did the past three years. If the contract could be worked through, would Matt Nagy embraced such a challenge?
It’s something to consider.