Looking over what the Chicago Bears have done this offseason, there aren’t many things to complain about. They found competition at quarterback (Nick Foles), upgraded their pass rush (Robert Quinn), found new starters in the secondary (Jaylon Johnson and Tashaun Gipson), and overhauled the tight end position (Jimmy Graham and Cole Kmet). They even managed to add more speed at wide receiver with Darnell Mooney and Ted Ginn Jr. All in all, GM Ryan Pace did solid work.
However, a lot of people have one lingering concern. What did the Bears do on the offensive line? It’s felt that position group under-performed in a big way last season. They were weak in the running game all year and had rough moments in pass protection as well. The position that stuck out the most was right guard due to the injury woes of Kyle Long and reserve Rashaad Coward not exactly standing out in his absence. As of now, the only notable move the Bears made after Long’s retirement was signing former Seattle Seahawks 1st round pick Germain Ifedi.
He’s played most of his career at tackle, and not all that well. Yet the Bears believe he has a brighter future at guard. Something draft experts urged back in 2016. Not exactly the surefire solution people were hoping for. The good news is though that the offseason isn’t over, and the New Orleans Saints may have just dropped Pace a possible lifeline.
Chicago Bears should consider Larry Warford, but carefully
Warford familiarized himself with Chicago back when he was a 3rd round pick for the Detroit Lions. From there he headed off to New Orleans where he developed into a three-time Pro Bowl right guard. So why did the Saints cut him? Two reasons. His contract had become too expensive. The team was hardpressed for cap space and they get $7 million in relief by sending him off. The other is the arrival of 1st round pick Cesar Ruiz, who will be joining the interior offensive line right away. This made the 28-year old expendable.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Should the Bears be interested? Of course. Warford is a superior guard than anything the Bears have in terms of Ifedi, Coward, or Alex Bars. That said, there is a lingering concern. He might not be an ideal fit for Matt Nagy’s offense. Another reason cited for his release was an overall lack of athleticism. He doesn’t move well. This is significant since Chicago runs a zone-blocking system that tends to demand their linemen be able to move.
Nagy would have to limit the number of plays he runs that would require Warford to get out in space. Perhaps not a limitation the coach would be wild about. On the other hand, the veteran is noted for his considerable run-blocking skill along with standout awareness in pass protection. Considering the Bears had the 29th ranked running game in 2019, it might be a sacrifice they’d be willing to make.
