The Chicago Bears know if they want to ascend into the NFL’s upper echelon, they must work harder to control the line of scrimmage. That is what contenders do. Unfortunately, this team hasn’t done so in a long time, at least not on the offensive side. Fixing the offensive line, especially on the interior, is paramount for GM Ryan Poles going into next year. One former member of the organization believes they have already done that. Charles Leno hasn’t played for the Bears in years, but the former left tackle isn’t happy with them at the moment.
No, it isn’t because of what happened in the past. It has to do with their decision to lure center Ricky Stromberg away from Washington to Chicago. The former 3rd round pick was selected by the Commanders in 2022. Unfortunately, a knee injury ended his season early. Still, Leno felt the kid was the team’s future at center. However, there was a widespread regime change the following offseason, and Stromberg was released on an injury settlement in August. Rather than stick around on the practice squad, he joined his hometown Bears instead. Leno told Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune he wished it could’ve been different.
“I thought Ricky was going to be our center in all honesty,” said former Bears left tackle Charles Leno, who played for the Commanders last season before retiring. “I felt like when he got there, he understood what a center was supposed to do. He put people in the right positions. He helped when he was supposed to help.
“I thought he did a good job, but they had already signed Nick and they tried to move (Stromberg) to guard. I thought he was going to be a really good center in this league. I am pretty sure I am not the only one that thought that, but coaches, they think differently. I thought he was going to do a fine job at center for us.”
Center is an area of uncertainty for the team going into next season. Coleman Shelton has proven serviceable after a tough start to the year, but he is a free agent in 2025. Stromberg could end up being his heir apparent. The young man was a stalwart at Arkansas. He earned a reputation as an athletic and physical run blocker who was a lynchpin of their ground attack. As a four-year starter, he showcased intelligence and awareness in pass protection. He’s not the most powerful guy, which can get him into trouble against bigger defensive tackles. While not an impressive specimen, he is a workhorse who does the job.
Many have compared him to the utterly reliable David Andrews, who has manned the middle for the New England Patriots since 2015. In truth, his body type and style mimic Cody Whitehair, which might explain why Charles Leno liked him so much. Whitehair was the most dependable center the Bears had in the 2010s, and Stromberg is far more experienced at the position. It is a question of whether he can stay healthy.
