GM Ryan Poles deserved credit for his work on the Chicago Bears‘ 2022 draft class. Throughout the preseason, most of the 11-man group has stood out positively. It isn’t a stretch to believe that most of them have at least a 50% chance to crack the main roster. Most of them are far above that. However, not everybody has enjoyed a fruitful August. One pick hasn’t performed as well as he or anybody else would’ve liked.
When the Bears drafted Zachary Thomas out of San Diego State, many experts felt they’d gotten a bargain. He’d played well at tackle in college and looked like somebody with a bright future at guard. That hasn’t manifested over the past month. He failed to distinguish himself in training camp, then followed it up with an ugly first two preseason games. Thomas allowed three pressures and a sack in just 34 pass-blocking snaps. His run-blocking hasn’t been too much better.
I have one more Bears video from today that I forgot to tweet out. Zachary Thomas vs Justin Jones 1-on-1 pic.twitter.com/qToSckeg7A
— Chicago Football Connection (@CFCBears) July 30, 2022
Chicago Bears may seek more stability in the interior.
Center Doug Kramer is already out with an injury. He is unlikely to return anytime soon. Thomas can’t play center. While he has versatility with his tackle experience, the truth is the Bears have enough depth on the outside. They need it far more on the inside. There is a growing possibility Poles will comb the waiver wire next week, hunting for a veteran guard or center. Thomas looks like he will end up on the practice squad barring something unexpected.
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The major concern about him in college was his lack of consistency as a pass protector. Experts were proven correct in that regard. He still has work to do before he can make a push to be a contributor on the Chicago Bears’ offensive line. Meanwhile, fellow rookie Ja’Tyre Carter has looked far better despite being drafted later. It serves as another reminder of how unpredictable the draft can be.
