The Chicago Bears did make changes to the offensive line this offseason. They just probably weren’t the drastic changes people were hoping for. Especially after a season in which the offense finished 29th in the league. Two 7th round draft picks? Backup tackle Jason Spriggs? The one notable name they added was Germain Ifedi, the former starting tackle from Seattle who’d been a 1st round pick in 2016.
GM Ryan Pace said the team has been a fan of his going back to that draft. However, unlike the Seahawks, they see him as a guard. This means he’ll be battling with Rashaad Coward and others for the right guard spot vacated by Kyle Long.
For his part, Ifedi claims he always saw him as an inside guy. The reason he moved to tackle in college and then the pros was because the coaches asked him to. He was being a good soldier and trying to help the team. Being able to play a position he feels more comfortable at was part of the appeal of joining the Bears. Not only that, but he’s getting some major help to prepare himself for training camp.
“I get to work out with another offensive lineman in the league, Jake Matthews the starting left tackle for the Falcons and his dad Bruce Matthews. Hall of Famer. Played 20 years. So a lot of you know the name. We’ve been working throughout all these weeks. I came back a week after the NFC division game and we just got right back to work.”
Germain Ifedi is working with the right guy
There might not be a better brain to pick regarding offensive line play than Bruce Matthews. The guy is NFL royalty. One could argue the best lineman in league history. His 14 Pro Bowls alone offer compelling evidence of that. The fact he made multiple ones at all three interior positions only enhances this. First it was right guard, then center, and finally left guard. Matthews was a machine regardless of where he played.
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So if anybody can help Ifedi make the transition back inside look seamless? It would be him. After all, the last time a Hall of Fame player helped out a Bears interior guy, things went well. Back in 2016, Kevin Mawae worked with Cody Whitehair on moving from college tackle to guard and then center. It went pretty well. Whitehair was very good that season and went on to become a Pro Bowler.
It would be great if Matthews might have a similar impression on Ifedi.