When talking about roster changes, most people always refer to new players. That isn’t a surprise. Those are by far the more exciting ones to talk about. D.J. Moore, Robert Tonyan, D’Onta Foreman, Darnell Wright, Nate Davis, DeMarcus Walker, Gervon Dexter, Tremaine Edmunds, and T.J. Edwards all have a chance to change the Chicago Bears’ fortunes moving forward. However, one must not overlook the value of adjusting players already on the roster, moving them from one position to another. Sometimes it can lead to big things.
They moved Brian Urlacher from outside linebacker to middle linebacker. That worked out well. They moved Devin Hester from cornerback to wide receiver. That, too, bore some fruit. It seems the Bears wanted to experiment a little going into this year. While there wasn’t a true position switch involved, there was an adjustment to their offensive line that hasn’t been talked about nearly enough. It involved shifting Teven Jenkins from right guard to left guard. Most believe this was solely done to accommodate Davis, who has been a right guard his entire career.
There is more to it than that. It also allowed the Bears to pair their two best run blockers together on the same side in Jenkins and Braxton Jones. People must understand the potential implications of that.
The Chicago Bears are leaning into their biggest strength.
In the early 1980s, the Bears had a good running game but never a great one. That changed in 1983 when they drafted two young blockers in Jimbo Covert and Mark Bortz. Both were known for their physical style. Everything changed when the coaches finally paired them together at left tackle and left guard in 1984. Chicago had the #1 or #2 rushing attack in the NFL annually through 1988. Much of that came from running behind Covert and Bortz. It seems the Bears are utilizing a similar strategy with Jones and Jenkins.
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Despite being a rookie last season, Jones was the 10th-best run-blocking tackle in the league with a 79.4 grade from Pro Football Focus. Jenkins was third among guards at 82.2. If they were so effective by themselves on opposite sides of the line, try to imagine how much more devastating they could be together. The Bears know they have a good stable of running backs and one of the most mobile quarterbacks in football. It could be a game-changer if they now have a side of the line they know will consistently generate movement.
