Germain Ifedi has a tall talk ahead of him. He will try to replace Kyle Long at right guard. An unenviable task given what the former three-time Pro Bowler meant to the team. Then again, Ifedi is thrilled to have the opportunity. Not just because the Chicago Bears wanted, but because they want to employ him at a position he always felt was a better fit for his skills at guard.
The Seattle Seahawks played him there as a rookie but chose to move him to tackle in the three years since. He did the best he could but never quite found a groove at that position. So they chose not to re-sign him when free agency began. GM Ryan Pace said the Bears front office and scouts have liked Ifedi ever since he came out of Boise State in 2016. They saw him more as an inside guy.
Now he’ll get his chance to prove it. What’s pretty crazy though is just how quickly he knew Chicago was where he wanted to be. In an interview on the LiucciCast, the 25-year old said the driving force behind his decision was offensive line coach Juan Castillo.
“It was an easy decision for me. Me and the line coach (Juan Castillo) got well-acquainted. I understand what he’s trying to have me do. He has a real plan for me…
…His knowledge is different, you know? He’s different than any coach I’ve had. That’s not to knock anybody else. He’s just different. He looks at it a different way. Approaches it a different way. He has had success. Had success over, and over, over again with it…”
Ifedi knew after his first call with Castillo that it was pretty much a done deal.
“Juan called me and talked my ear off for 30 minutes. I said, ‘I ain’t gonna tell you what I’m gonna do but I’m gonna call you back after I think about everything you just told me.'”
Germain Ifedi is buying into Castillo’s plan
Word has filtered out in recent weeks that Castillo was a major proponent of signing Castillo. He’s a big fan of the former 1st rounder. Thinks he has a terrific work ethic and the type of play style that fits what he wants to do. Namely be detailed and physical in approach. Ifedi being the big, nasty guy from Texas he is no doubt loved every word he heard.
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Everything points to him being the favorite to lock down that right guard spots. Hopes are high that he can be a big help to their running game. Ifedi has plenty of power and length for it. With less ground to cover, he should be much more comfortable. If the Bears get out of him what the Seahawks failed to? This could end up being one of the quiet steals of the offseason.