soulman Posted August 25, 2019 Share Posted August 25, 2019 Will Chicago Bears look outside for OL depth? by Parker Hurley 6 hours ago Follow @parkerhurley https://beargoggleson.com/2019/08/25/will-chicago-bears-look-outside-for-ol-depth/ The offensive line depth has been exposed this preseason. Who will the Chicago Bears look to fill their roster? One thing worth following in the Chicago Bears third preseason game was the depth on their offensive line. Ted Larsen was locked into the sixth spot while UDFA Alex Bars has been good enough to make the roster as number seven. However, neither has experience at tackle and the Bears would likely carry eight, if not nine linemen. Through two weeks, nobody has stepped up as number eight. Players who had a great chance included T.J. Clemmings and Cornelius Lucas as Rashaad Coward was injured. Clemmings left the game early with an injury and Lucas consistently got beat as the starting left tackle. Coward has a great chance to make the roster, but he is injured, he has only played right tackle and he is still very raw. This is not an emergency situation, but is certainly one Ryan Pace is monitoring. Next weekend teams will cut-down from 90 to 53. That means over 1,000 players will instantly become free agents. Pace is not picking from the cream of the crop but he needs to be ready to pounce on a tackle. He needs to be willing to trade for anyone who is on the edge on other rosters. The Eagles are a team to keep an eye on as they have a plethora of tackles. The Bears should not hand either tackle a job by default. Lucas certainly did not win the job just because Coward and Clemmings are hurt. Back up tackle is not important until the team has a turnstile on Mitch Trubiskys blind side. Currently, they do not have a backup tackle and the third preseason game only exemplified that fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman Posted August 25, 2019 Author Share Posted August 25, 2019 (edited) We've talked somewhat about OLB depth but IMHO OT is where we're dangerously thin and where a serious injury to either Leno or Massie could derail the offense. It's good to hear Bars took some reps at OT but we have to be honest. Neither he or Coward would hold up well if forced into a starters role for any length of time. Experienced OTs are tough to come by. Few teams will let a good one go but is there any chance we might see one released who can be signed who has enough experience to handle LT especially if Leno is hurt. Lucas is a complete waste of flesh. Worse than JWebb. Edited August 25, 2019 by soulman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugashane Posted August 25, 2019 Share Posted August 25, 2019 Bars looked good out there but it was also against the lowest level of competition too. I think Pace has to be looking around right now. Ryan Shraeder and Jeremy Parnell should be getting called in for physicals and testing. Neither are great options but both are better than Lucas. Austin Howard would be an upgrade too. I'm sure there will be a watchful eye on the waiver wire but that is dangerous thing to rely on as even heavy footed OTs usually get kicked in before just getting released, and we aren't exactly at the top of the pecking order in waivers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damikeeeee Posted August 25, 2019 Share Posted August 25, 2019 If someone obvious is their on a min contract but I doubt that so I think we draft someone and see where he fits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmike90 Posted August 25, 2019 Share Posted August 25, 2019 He has too...Lucas is not an NFL player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WindyCity Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 4 hours ago, Madmike90 said: He has too...Lucas is not an NFL player. Agreed. I would play Bars at LT the entire 4th preseason game and if I am not reassured I would search for a vet. If Coward can get healthy before week 1 I think you can roll into the season with him and Bars. The issue is that there are not 64 capable OTs in the NFL so finding a backup is even more difficult as teams do not release them if they are lucky enough to have 3. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman Posted August 26, 2019 Author Share Posted August 26, 2019 2 hours ago, WindyCity said: The issue is that there are not 64 capable OTs in the NFL so finding a backup is even more difficult as teams do not release them if they are lucky enough to have 3. This I also believe to be true. If it were not we wouldn't have guys like Lucas and Clemmings we've pulled off the scrap heap to see if Harry H can somehow make and NFL player out of them. I think if it comes down to it we may have no other choice than to use Bars or possible Whitehair as a fallback at LT if Leno is injured and roll the dice with Coward at RT. It's not ideal but it may be as good as it gets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malagabears Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 Vaitai from the Eagles might be on the block. Not sure about price. He didn't impress PFF in 2018 but that doesn't mean much to some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman Posted August 26, 2019 Author Share Posted August 26, 2019 With our shortage of 2020 picks I don't know that Pace would give one up for an OT unless he felt the guy had at least some potential to eventually become a starter or was a very good swing OT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WindyCity Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 Big V from Philly would be a nice pickup. I am not sure what we could offer, but right now we have 2, 2, 5, 6, 6, 7 David Sharpe from Oakland has had a nice preseason and is stuck on the depth chart. He has played LT and RT this preseason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WindyCity Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 The Eagles have 3 backup OTs so they will be motivated to move 1 at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZBearsFan Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 1 hour ago, soulman said: With our shortage of 2020 picks I don't know that Pace would give one up for an OT unless he felt the guy had at least some potential to eventually become a starter or was a very good swing OT. I’d go so far as to say we won’t trade for anyone unless it’s because Leno or Massie is out for the year. Both are locked in at least this and next year at starter money. We can’t reasonably sacrifice further draft capital for a guy who won’t play at all outside of attrition. That said, of course Pace is looking at other options. He’s incredibly thorough. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZBearsFan Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 2 minutes ago, WindyCity said: The Eagles have 3 backup OTs so they will be motivated to move 1 at least. The likelihood they’d want to help us as a conference opponent and potential playoff opponent is incredibly low though, at least not without charging us a premium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugashane Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 Clemmings went on IR so hopefully they really give Bars a look. See if it is as urgent a need as it may seem. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulman Posted August 26, 2019 Author Share Posted August 26, 2019 1 hour ago, Sugashane said: Clemmings went on IR so hopefully they really give Bars a look. See if it is as urgent a need as it may seem. That might up the ante a bit. Lucas isn't worth keeping and if Clemmings is out I'd say we need another OT. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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