Lately I’ve been feeling stressed about our offensive line (Granted, as I work in education, I’ve had more time than usual to worry about frivolous things).  One thing that made me feel better is that as per SportsMockery & Brad Biggs, Alex Bars may be the reason we have no upgraded our offensive line:   https://sportsmockery.com/2020/03/belief-is-alex-bars-might-be-keeping-bears-from-signing-help-at-guard/

He’d have been drafted if he hadn’t injured his knee and the Patriots wanted to sign him to their active roster last season. 

Realistically, we were never going to move on from Massie or Leno.  We were too happy with them after the 2018 season, we have too much invested in them, and we are short on cap space, so it would be real tough to upgrade.  We are also pretty happy with James Daniels and Cody Whitehair.  

The one move we really had to make was at RG.  If Alex Bars can be the guy who successfully replaces Kyle Long, that would be amazing.  

 

16 minutes ago, bradjock said:

Lately I’ve been feeling stressed about our offensive line (Granted, as I work in education, I’ve had more time than usual to worry about frivolous things).  One thing that made me feel better is that as per SportsMockery & Brad Biggs, Alex Bars may be the reason we have no upgraded our offensive line:   https://sportsmockery.com/2020/03/belief-is-alex-bars-might-be-keeping-bears-from-signing-help-at-guard/

He’d have been drafted if he hadn’t injured his knee and the Patriots wanted to sign him to their active roster last season. 

Realistically, we were never going to move on from Massie or Leno.  We were too happy with them after the 2018 season, we have too much invested in them, and we are short on cap space, so it would be real tough to upgrade.  We are also pretty happy with James Daniels and Cody Whitehair.  

The one move we really had to make was at RG.  If Alex Bars can be the guy who successfully replaces Kyle Long, that would be amazing.  

 

Yeah, Bars would be great. It would be nice if Massie and Leno were at least average. I think if we ran the ball more, it would help the entire O-Line.

54 minutes ago, bradjock said:

Lately I’ve been feeling stressed about our offensive line (Granted, as I work in education, I’ve had more time than usual to worry about frivolous things).  One thing that made me feel better is that as per SportsMockery & Brad Biggs, Alex Bars may be the reason we have no upgraded our offensive line:   https://sportsmockery.com/2020/03/belief-is-alex-bars-might-be-keeping-bears-from-signing-help-at-guard/

He’d have been drafted if he hadn’t injured his knee and the Patriots wanted to sign him to their active roster last season. 

Realistically, we were never going to move on from Massie or Leno.  We were too happy with them after the 2018 season, we have too much invested in them, and we are short on cap space, so it would be real tough to upgrade.  We are also pretty happy with James Daniels and Cody Whitehair.  

The one move we really had to make was at RG.  If Alex Bars can be the guy who successfully replaces Kyle Long, that would be amazing.  

 

Being stressed about the Bears OL is far from being frivolous.

There would be more confidence in Bars if he had beaten out Coward for the spot last year.  That was a pretty low bar since Coward had never played at OG  since his conversion from Dline.  At this point in FA I have to agree that this was clearly not Pace's biggest concern so there must be some confidence in Bars.  

I think because of Bars surgery that they wanted him to have a full year of recovery and let him get stronger. 

Maybe bring back Ted Larsen to back up  G/C and draft a OT, let him compete at RG year 1.  Bars, rookie battling and Larsen there just in case. 

1 hour ago, Stinger226 said:

I think because of Bars surgery that they wanted him to have a full year of recovery and let him get stronger. 

?

Sam Mustipher (Center (Guard?) from Notre Dame) is still on the roster too.  He was ranked 8th overall olineman according to WalterFootball.com prior to last years draft.  

https://walterfootball.com/draft2019C.php

 

I think that the fact that we didnt spend big on OT doesnt mean that we arent playing the waiting game on a free agent OT like Jason Peters.

What we know is they didnt target a long term answer at OT in free agency. The rest is still being played out.

After the draft there will be cap cuts.  I remember picking up Fred Miller and someone else that way.   It's also a deep draft for OG, so we could very well have a steal drop to us.

5 hours ago, BearFan NYC said:

I think that the fact that we didnt spend big on OT doesnt mean that we arent playing the waiting game on a free agent OT like Jason Peters.

What we know is they didnt target a long term answer at OT in free agency. The rest is still being played out.

Maybe they haven't addressed OT is because they dont have the money to pay the few good ones that were in free agency. The rest they consider worst that what they have.  Peters will get 7 to 8 mil. They don't have the money. 

you could be right Stinger, but time will tell.

I think they will grab a free agent at OT at some point this year.

10 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

I think because of Bars surgery that they wanted him to have a full year of recovery and let him get stronger. 

Yeah - I don't think Bars was really healthy enough / physically strong enough (given his rehab) to be a day 1 starter.  

I agree that they should grab a reliable vet swing tackle and also draft one high enough with hopes to compete right away. 

With the 2 extra roster positions, they better have a good 3rd QB and use the other on an extra OL.  That is why I would not rule them out from selecting a QB first if one of the top 4 or 5 guys is available. Reason being is this year is a battle of who stays, Mitch or Nick. We have our QB 1&2 this season, but the following year QB will be a need again.  If Nick wins, you want a young talent in the pipeline.  If Mitch wins, you want cheap talent behind him that keeps the pressure to be good on.   

Rd2a-  QB Love/Eason.

Rd2b- OT A Jackson, I Wilson, P Tego-Wanogho

 

12 hours ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

I agree that they should grab a reliable vet swing tackle and also draft one high enough with hopes to compete right away. 

With the 2 extra roster positions, they better have a good 3rd QB and use the other on an extra OL.  That is why I would not rule them out from selecting a QB first if one of the top 4 or 5 guys is available. Reason being is this year is a battle of who stays, Mitch or Nick. We have our QB 1&2 this season, but the following year QB will be a need again.  If Nick wins, you want a young talent in the pipeline.  If Mitch wins, you want cheap talent behind him that keeps the pressure to be good on.   

Rd2a-  QB Love/Eason.

Rd2b- OT A Jackson, I Wilson, P Tego-Wanogho

Id be cool with this for sure.

The key to the  season is Massie and Leno playing up to their 2018 level of play. If Massie fails , Germain, Coward  and Bars can all play the RT spot. So that leaves the LT spot . The depth  chart shows Dino Boyd as the backup.  I suspect our first pick will be a versatile OT that could play the LT spot and play the RG spot as the grows. 

OTs that have a value aound our picks are:

Josh Jones 

Eliza Cleveland 

Prince Tego Wanogho

Isiah Wilson 

Luis Niang 

Jones is the only one that could start day 1.

I like Ezra Cleveland, he needs to get stronger but has all the tools to be a plus player. 

Most people think 6 go in the first round.  I thi k possibly 5 but we will have some choices. I wouldn't have a problem if they went OT and IOLwith our 2nd round picks.