Alex Bars

Chicago Bears: Versatility on OL now a silver lining for the team

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teven jenkins, bears

The Chicago Bears offensive line has been ravaged throughout training camp. On paper, the expectation was that the starting five left to right would be: Teven Jenkins, James Daniels, Sam Mustipher, Cody Whitehair, and Germain Ifedi. Four weeks into training camp, the projected starting five has yet to practice together even once. Jenkins underwent back surgery that will sideline him indefinitely. Daniels dealt with a quad issue while Ifedi has been on the PUP list.

Injuries have forced the Bears to rely on a makeshift offensive line, providing second, third, and fourth-string players with the opportunity to receive additional reps throughout practice. Injuries to starters also provide the coaching staff with the chance to evaluate depth across the entire unit, a silver lining within itself.

“I think what you’ll see with most of our guys, is we got guys that can move across the board,” head coach Matt Nagy said via the Bears official YouTube page. “Left side, right side, they’ve kind of been forced to do that.”

Nagy is right. Injuries to key starters have forced the Bears’ offensive line to reshuffle multiple times, however, Chicago has also valued versatility in offensive lineman. Alex Bars and Larry Borom are two players that have been forced to learn multiple different positions throughout the course of training camp. Daniels and Whitehair are also players that have played multiple positions along the interior of the offensive line over the last two seasons.

As the Bears prepare to trim the roster down to 53 players, emphasis will be put on players who can play both left and right tackle but also switch to playing inside if needed. Offensive line coach Juan Castillo made the most of a makeshift offensive line last season with inconsistency at the quarterback position and injuries early in camp should see Castillo do much of the same as the regular season draws closer.

31 questions to Bears camp: Who’s the odd man out the Offensive Line?

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When the Chicago Bears report to training camp in just under two weeks, the offensive line will garner plenty of attention. After overhauling the unit with the additions of rookies Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom while releasing veterans Charles Leno Jr. and Bobby Massie this offseason, Chicago is looking to get younger on the OL heading into 2021.

Besides getting younger, adding offensive line depth was also a focus for the Bears this offseason, giving guys like Alex Bars, Elijah Wilkinson, Arlington Hambright, Lachavious Simmons, Adam Redmond, and Dieter Eiselen an opportunity to make the roster. The Bears will only carry a limited number of offensive lineman for the regular season, meaning some players will be cut.

Here’s what we know: Bars isn’t getting cut. After starting eight games in 2020, he’s Chicago’s most versatile offensive line, with the ability to play anywhere on the interior offensive line. The Bears value versatility on the interior as it gives the team more options should an injury occur.

Hambright and Simmons were seventh-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft and started one game as rookies. Chicago was forced to start both players due to a COVID-19 outbreak that occurred at Halas Hall. Both will have the opportunity to make the roster once again due to familiarity with Chicago’s offensive system.

Eiselen also started just one game at Center last season due to the COVID-19 outbreak at Halas Hall. The emergence of Sam Mustipher as starting center, along with the versatility that Bars provides means Eislen could be among the first name sent packing when the Bears trim the roster down to just 53 players in late August.

Wilkinson has played in 26 career games, starting at both right guard and right tackle. After starting seven games in 2020 and 12 games in 2019, there isn’t a serious case for Wilkinson to be cut, especially after he signed a one-year in free agency this offseason.

Redmond, another interior offensive lineman has started 18 games for the Dallas Cowboys. Signed by the Indianapolis Colts in 2016 as an undrafted free agent, the Bears will be Redmond’s fourth NFL team and at 28 years old, it’s clear that Redmond is merely a depth piece.

While we may be just over six weeks away from the Bears finalizing the 2021 roster, examining the offensive line, we know that Eiselen or Redmond could be the odd men out. Don’t necessarily rule out Simmons or Hambright, however, both did make the active roster last season, something that should occur again in 2021.

31 questions to Bears camp: What does 2021 hold for OL Alex Bars?

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The Chicago Bears will report to Halas Hall for training camp in just over two weeks with an intriguing situation on the offensive line. Chicago released veterans Bobby Massie and Charles Leno Jr. this offseason, indicating that 2021 will see new starters at left and right tackle. Adding depth to the offensive line was also a priority for the Bears this offseason, bringing in names like Elijah Wilkinson but also retaining players like Alex Bars.

Bars, who signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent following the conclusion of the 2019 NFL Draft enters year three with the hope of possibly starting. While the odds may seem against Bars at the moment, last season saw Bars start eight games, including six starts at right guard, one at center, and one at left guard.

Bars eight starts from last season mean that he’s a versatile option on the interior offensive line, making names like Sam Mustipher, James Daniels, and Cody Whitehair expendable. The scenario of Bars possibly unseating Mustipher, Daniels, or Whitehair is bleak but do not discount what impact Bars can really have, especially as a player who could see some action should the injury bug strike Chicago’s offense.

Per the Bears’ official website, Bars clearly had a major impact on the success of the Bears running game late in the 2020 season, with Bars being a major reason for running back David Montgomery eclipsing 100 yards rushing against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football in week 12.

Even if Bars ends up being a rotational player in 2021, the extra reps he gains throughout the upcoming season could see Bars push for a starting job in 2022, when the Bears will need to address the right tackle position. At that point, the starting job could be Bars to lose, especially as a player who’s showcased both adaptability and flexibility through his first two seasons.

Alex Bars flying under the radar for the Chicago Bears

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One name watch throughout the duration of the Chicago Bears offseason is offensive lineman Alex Bars. Looking at the Bears offensive line, regression was prevalent over the last two seasons, which forced the Bears to try out a number of different combinations on the offensive line.

Heading into 2021, the Bears have nothing but questions on the offensive line. Sixth-year pro Cody Whitehair is the only surefire starter and with new second-round pick Teven Jenkins likely playing left tackle, Bars, James Daniels, Sam Mustipher, and Germain Ifedi could all be penciled in as starters.

Of the names listed above, Bars is the most intriguing due to his versatility. Despite starting just eight games in 2020, Bars saw regular action all throughout the season. His first start of the season was week nine against the Tennessee Titans, where he was asked to play center. After that, Chicago utilized Bars at both left guard and right guard.

The Bears believe in Bars, it’s that simple. They believe in what he brings to the table and his future with the team, especially since Chicago signed him to a contract extension this offseason. It’s entirely possible that the Bears decide 2021 will be another developmental year for Bars before eventually letting him takeover in 2022, should someone like Daniels or Mustipher not pan out.

Depth alongside the offensive line is an area where issues were visible throughout 2020 for the Bears. The Bears did bring in some reinforcements for 2021 with the goal of creating additional competition to solidify depth for years to come. Despite having to start his career on Chicago’s practice squad, Bars has shown enough to showcase that he can be a solid starter when called upon.

Since the start of Ryan Pace’s tenure as Bears general manager, Chicago has consistently been able to find at least one hidden gem each year through the undrafted free agent pool, some eventually becoming starters for the Bears. Common names that come to mind include CB Bryce Callahan (2015), DE Roy Robertson-Harris (2016), LB Isaiah Irving (2017), Bars and Mustipher (2019), and RB Artavis Pierce (2020).

With the Bears returning to Halas Hall in mid-May, Bars is clearly a name that’s flown under the radar but is worth watching as a potential surprise starter for Chicago in 2021.