Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles got dealt a tough hand this offseason. Not only did his team lose their starting left tackle, Ozzy Trapilo, to a knee injury, but Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman retired at age 27. The two most critical spots on the offensive line were vacated right when things were coming together. Thankfully, Poles managed to at least avoid a calamity by trading for Garrett Bradbury from New England and bringing back Braxton Jones. That should buy him some time to consider his options.
Based on info coming in from the pre-draft circuit, it is clear the Bears are scouring the country for possible long-term options at center. They met with Sam Hecht of Kansas City, arguably the best in this draft. They also met with Keylan Rutledge, a top guard who might move to center. Now it appears the Bears are exploring a tactic the Tampa Bay Buccaneers recently used to great effect: moving an offensive tackle from Duke to the position.
That is what happened with Graham Barton two years ago. Now the same is expected of his replacement, Brian Parker II, whom the Bears hosted for a top-30 visit.
Ryan Poles’ interest in Parker is hardly surprising.
One of the popular comparisons for the young offensive lineman is Ryan Bates. The Bears GM famously tried signing the veteran guard as a restricted free agent before finally trading for him a year later. Bates had a good mix of size and athleticism, making him a top-quality backup. Unfortunately, health setbacks ruined his chances at a starting job. Parker is built the same way. He has tackle height, moves well in space, has polished technique, and isn’t often caught off guard by twists or stunts.
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The key issues are his shorter arms and his lack of experience at center. It was the same problem that faced Barton when Tampa Bay drafted him. They bet that his intelligence and their coaching would see the transition through and were rewarded. Chicago has Dan Roushar, one of the best in the business, running the offensive line. Parker would have no trouble settling into the position quickly under his watch. It all depends on whether they feel he is one of their best options.
This method has actually worked for the Bears before.
In 2016, they drafted Kansas State left tackle Cody Whitehair in the 2nd round. Their initial plan was to move him to left guard. Unfortunately, Hroniss Grasu tore his ACL in training camp. That forced the Bears to make a tough decision: move Whitehair to center. He ended up starting four seasons at the position, making the Pro Bowl in 2018. He was never perfect, but he was probably the best center the Bears have drafted since Olin Kreutz. If he hadn’t suffered from constant snapping issues, he probably would’ve held the job a lot longer.
That is the path forward for Parker. He has all the physical tools. Nobody disputes his intelligence. It’s about putting in the work to learn a new position. Ryan Poles has never been afraid to make projection picks if he liked the talent enough. The difference this time is that he has the coaching staff necessary for it to work.
