One position that will be spotlighted throughout training camp is center. It is the only spot on the entire offensive line with no clear starter. Both tackle and guard spots are accounted for. Cody Whitehair is gone. Lucas Patrick is gone. The job is wide open for the first time in years. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus made it clear there will be a competition for it. Right now, there are two combatants in play. One is Ryan Bates, acquired from the Buffalo Bills via trade. The other is Coleman Shelton, a free agent who started for the Los Angeles Rams last year.
Both men have a case for the job. Bates brings the size and power Chicago prefers. Shelton has more starting experience at center. Gates is more of a guard. It is always interesting to see where the team’s thinking is based on snap distribution during practice. It gave people a hint that Braxton Jones would be a starter in 2022. Based on the first practice, according to Nicholas Moreano of CHGO, there is an early leader for the job.
“Ryan Bates practiced only with the first-team offense on Saturday. Coleman Shelton ran with the backups on the opposite field from the starters. Doug Kramer even got a few reps with the starters when Bates got a rest.”
Usually, when you trade for a player, it is a signal that you value him highly. Chicago tried to sign Bates two years ago as a restricted free agent. Buffalo matched the offer. This time around, Poles made sure to get his guy. The team clearly likes what Bates brings to the table. They feel that with enough work, he has the capacity to become a quality center. The only way to know for sure is by giving him reps and seeing how he operates with Caleb Williams. Shelton may have an experience advantage, but he doesn’t seem to offer something they want.
It is far too early to declare a winner. No decision will be made until the Chicago Bears see these guys in pads. That will come in a week’s time. Still, it is interesting to see what their thinking is. Having Bates get the early looks with the starting offense is not a coincidence. They feel he has the most to offer. It will be up to Shelton to change that thinking with strong performances in practice. The first game takes place on August 1st in Canton at the Hall of Fame game.
