Chicago Bears Offseason 2012: Is the Offensive Line Really THAT Much a Concern?
Published by Alexander Crowe on May 21, 2012
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
We have seen this before.
The offseason comes around, and the questions start flying. Is Jay Cutler good enough to be an elite quarterback in the NFL? Does he have the weapons that he needs to get the job done? Does he have the protection to make the throws?
However, this offseason is different.
New Bears GM Phil Emery has come into, well, a mess at best; especially with offensive coordinator Mike Martz choosing to retire from coaching.
But are the Bears really in that bad of a situation? Think about it. When Cutler was healthy, the Bears were rocking. They had won five games in a row, and Cutler was playing like the elite quarterback the Bears had always wanted, even with the offensive line that they had.
Once he went down, the team went with him, to no fault of the offensive line. Offensive line coach Mike Tice did an excellent job with what he had, and they were clicking with Cutler.
So what has changed?
For one thing, Tice (the man who created that line which helped Cutler reach his potential), is now the offensive coordinator, which should help the entire offense.
Also, the Bears drafted Alshon Jeffery out of South Carolina, as well as trading for wide receiver Brandon Marshall from the Miami Dolphins.
With these new weapons, as well as Michael Bush now a threat at running back, the Bears should have no problems with their offense.
These new offensive weapons should take some pressure off of wide receiver Devin Hester, who was nothing short of amazing on special teams for the Bears a few seasons ago.
An increase in performance from the special teams, as well as the increased role of the offense, should put the pressure back on the Monsters of the Midway defense, which is right where it should be.
The Bears have always been a defensive-minded team, and head coach Lovie Smith has always been a defensive-minded coach.
If the other parts of the team are all in place, Lovie will have no problem getting back to focusing on what he knows best. Shea McClellin also can get the coaching and mentoring he needs to be a threat across the line from Julius Peppers.
In short, the offensive line is critical. It all starts with them this season. But with Chris Williams and Gabe Carimi, both former first round picks, coming back from injury, expect the line to be even better this season, which will help the entire team reach its full potential.
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