The Chicago Bears have pieced together a clear picture on offense for the first time in ages. Every position appears to have clarity on who the starters will be. D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen at wide receiver. Cole Kmet is at tight end. D’Andre Swift at running back. Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright at tackle. Teven Jenkins and Nate Davis are at guard. The quarterback will be whoever they pick #1 overall next month. Probably Caleb Williams. Everything appears set, save for one troublesome spot. What are the Bears doing at center? Matt Eberflus finally provided information.
Lucas Patrick and Cody Whitehair are both gone. That left the role of snapping the ball a complete unknown. Over the course of about a week, the Bears added two potential candidates. First, they traded a 5th round pick to the Buffalo Bills for veteran interior lineman Ryan Bates. While primarily a guard during most of his starts there, he did log a few games at center. Then, the Bears signed free agent Coleman Shelton, who started several games for the Los Angeles Rams. Most thought that made him the likely candidate to hold the job, but Eberflus suggested at league meetings in Orlando that Bates would get the first crack, according to Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune.
Likewise, Eberflus said he believes it’s important for a rookie quarterback to have an experienced center, and he believes Ryan Bates “fits that bill.” The Bears acquired Bates, a five-year NFL veteran, from the Buffalo Bills for a 2024 fifth-round pick in early March.
“To be able to call and make adjustments to the protections, to help and assist that way, we thought it was critical to get that piece,” Eberflus said. “(Bates) has been a pro a long time and he has moved along the line inside there at guard and center, so it’s good to have the position flexibility as well. That’s a critical piece, for sure.”
Most of his career to this point has been exclusively spent at guard. Yet his skill set suggests he might fit even better at center. The Bears got a taste of that when he played against them in 2022, one of the two games he started in the middle. Not only did he do a solid job protecting Josh Allen, but he was also a major presence in their rushing attack. Buffalo rushed for 254 yards in that game. While building around the quarterback takes precedence, the Bears still want to be an effective rushing team. Bates could be a significant upgrade over Patrick in that department.
There is a definite risk in this approach. The guy hasn’t played the position much. A lot of projection is involved in this move. Still, Matt Eberflus and the coaches seem confident he has the intelligence and athleticism to handle the switch. If it works out? Fantastic. If it doesn’t, that is why they signed Shelton. He will serve as the perfect insurance policy if Bates can’t handle duties at center.
