Training camp is in full swing. The Chicago Bears are about to play their second preseason game of the month. By now, the picture of how their roster is shaping up should be coming into focus. While no final decisions have been made yet, it’d be surprising if GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus don’t have some idea of how the final 53 will look in a few weeks. Perhaps the most challenging area to figure out is the offensive line. Thanks to persistent injuries in that area since camp began, it is difficult to gauge where the depth is at with the unit.
Adam Jahns and Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic both seem to believe that some changes are coming in that area. Faces that have been fixtures with the group for the past couple of seasons are unlikely to return.
“Offensive line (9)
Braxton Jones, Teven Jenkins, Coleman Shelton, Ryan Bates, Darnell Wright, Nate Davis, Kiran Amegadjie, Matt Pryor, Bill Murray.
When you get publicly praised by the head coach, you get a roster spot — at least in this exercise. That’s where Murray fits in. He took the place of Ja’Tyre Carter from the initial projection…
…Larry Borom has experience and versatility but is making too much money for a reserve position if the Bears are more comfortable with Pryor, who can play four spots.”
Borom has been a reliable backup tackle since he was drafted in 2021. However, the arrival of Amegadjie in the 3rd round this year put him on notice. Remember, the Bears only carried one backup tackle last year. As for Carter, he didn’t help his case in the preseason opener, allowing two pressures on only 19 pass-blocks. Murray, meanwhile, played a clean game.
That is the wild card in this scenario. Word out of camp practices is that the offensive line hasn’t held up well against the Bears’ defense. Caleb Williams has been under too much pressure. This may compel Poles to shake things up with a tweak of the depth chart, perhaps through an acquisition via the waiver wire in the coming weeks. He could also look to make a minor trade if somebody becomes available. Offensive tackle appears to be okay with Braxton Jones, Darnell Wright, and Amegadjie. Somebody with experience at guard and/or center would be the goal.
Time will tell. Until then, the Chicago Bears must make do with who they have. Murray has outplayed Carter to this point. This regime always rewards the players who earn their spots, not how much they signed for or if they were drafted. As for Borom, he could be dangled as a trade piece. Veteran tackles with his level of experience and relatively cheap contract would be attractive to teams needing offensive line help. Perhaps the Bears could get somebody back at a position of need.
