The Chicago Bears offensive line got off to a rough start this season with ugly showings against Tennessee, Houston, and Indianapolis. They seem to have steadied themselves over the past two weeks against the Rams and Panthers. Even so, the coaching staff continues searching for the right combination that gives them the best chance to win. The first big decision in those efforts was benching Nate Davis. The former free agent finally wore out his welcome after a string of injuries and inconsistent performances.
Next is to determine who the interior three should be moving forward. As things stand, they’ve been running with Teven Jenkins, Coleman Shelton, and Matt Pryor. This could be what they stick with, but Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune isn’t entirely sold on this. He believes two names could shake things up over the next couple of weeks. One is Ryan Bates, due back from Injured Reserve after the bye week. The other is Bill Murray, who had a strong performance against Carolina, stepping in for the injured Jenkins.
There are other moving parts that will affect what the team does. That starts with left guard Teven Jenkins, who left the win over the Panthers with an ankle injury and was dealing with a bruised rib entering the game. Bill Murray, who leapfrogged Davis as the first option off the bench, played pretty well in Jenkins’ place.
Do the coaches have enough faith in Murray to keep him in the lineup when everyone is healthy? If so, perhaps Murray supplants Matt Pryor, who has been starting at right guard, and then the team can make a call at center between Bates and Shelton…
…If Murray gets more opportunities this week against the Jaguars — I wouldn’t rule it out — perhaps he’s in the conversation if the coaches become more comfortable with his performance. It would be a wonderful problem to have if the Bears get healthy and feel like they have multiple quality options. Imagine that.
Coaches know they have the tackle positions solidified. They also know a string of really good defenses loom in their near future. If they’re going to get past Green Bay, Detroit, Minnesota, and San Francisco, they need to find a combination that can keep Caleb Williams protected. Jenkins has played better over the past couple of weeks. If his ankle injury isn’t bad (he practiced in a limited fashion on Wednesday), he should keep his job. Bates’ best shot to enter the lineup is at center where he was always supposed to compete with Shelton.
The lingering question is about the right guard. Pryor has handled the job well, but he has athletic limitations. Murray is less experienced but a better athlete, and he has shown that he has improved his fundamentals since switching to guard a couple of years ago. Much will depend on what the Chicago Bears offensive line does against Jacksonville on Sunday. The Jaguars defensive line has looked bad all season. If they give the current lineup problems, coaches may use the bye week to shake things up.
