Chicago Bears Up Close: The Tackles and Centers
Published by Bryan Dietzler on April 1, 2010
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The Bears’ struggles on the offensive line have been well documented over the past couple of seasons. Not since the 2006 season, when they lost the Super Bowl, have they had stability at the offensive tackle position.
Now, heading into the 2010 NFL season, uncertainty remains at the tackle spot.
At the left tackle position, third-year tackle Chris Williams finally made his way into the starting spot after suffering a back injury during his first year with the team and then having to switch from right to left tackle. He is finally ready to start and should be a fixture at the position for several years to come.
All together, Williams played in every game for the Bears in 2009 and managed to stay injury-free, which was crucial for the line last season. He was moved to right tackle following the acquisition of Orlando Pace last offseason, but with Pace now gone, Williams will be firmly entrenched as the starter at the left tackle position.
The starter slated for the right side in 2009, Kevin Shaffer, played in 15 games last year, starting five at the right tackle position after Williams moved over to the left tackle position.
While Shaffer is an effective starter, he’s not the best long-term solution at the position, so the Bears may look to add some depth there in the draft this coming April. Perhaps they will even find someone that could challenge Shaffer for the starting job at right tackle.
The only other player that the Bears have on the roster at the offensive tackle position—for now—is James Marten, a three-year player out of Boston College.
Marten hasn’t played any games for the Bears, and has played in just one game during his three seasons with Chicago, Oakland, and Dallas.
Marten definitely has decent size for the position, (coming in at 6’8” and weighing 310 pounds) but doesn’t have the experience that the Bears would like to have. He will get a shot to make the roster, but the Bears need to go in a different direction to find proper depth at the tackle position.
The Bears only list one player at the center position, (although guard Josh Beekman can play center) and that player is the venerable Olin Kreutz.
Kreutz has been with the Bears since 1998 and has been one of their most consistent starters throughout his career. But in 2009, although he was durable enough to start every game, Kreutz really showed his age as he made many uncharacteristic mistakes.
Overall, his performance was not the same as it had been in years past. He is not the same player that he used to be, and Chicago will need to think about replacing him sometime in the near future.
The Bears have a shocking lack of depth at the offensive tackle position and will need to address that in the upcoming 2010 NFL Draft. Don’t be surprised if the Bears take a couple of offensive tackles, one possibly with their first pick in the draft and then another one in the later rounds.
They should be able to find a player that, with some grooming, could start if needed at some point in the season.
But with a lack of quality draft picks, no one that they select will possess the kind of talent that they will want for immediate help. However, even a solid project player would be better than what they have right now.
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