Lineman Alex Bars on His Own to Secure Roster Spot

For the first time since high school Bears guard Alex Bars won't have Harry Hiestand around as his line coach but he will have a healthier knee when camp begins

Players on the edge of a roster always have to be wary of new job competition.

In Alex Bars' case, there's pleny of this anyway. He also approaches this training camp without a major ally.

Just like former Notre Dame teammate Sam Mustipher, Bars is going into a season without offensive line coach Harry Hiestand around. Hiestand was fired by the Bears after last season ended, and he'd been Bars' line coach at Notre Dame, as well. In fact, Hiestand had scouted Bars in high school in Tennessee, so their relationship went back a long way.

Now Bars has to stand on his own, and he appears more than capable after his knee injuries healed.

Bars had both ACL and MCL tears and missed the final half of his last year with the Fighting Irish, then tried to make the Bears' roster after nine months of recovery time.

Now he's had another year and should be full strength. In Bars they have a 6-foot-5, 314-pound player who can move between tackle or guard with good athleticism. They used him last year at both positions in practices.

Bars is a taller player with a nice reach who might be built more like a tackle than a guard, but can play both.

The Bears signed Bars to a contract for two years and $1.08 million last season after he attracted the interest of the New England Patriots while on the practice squad.

Initially, the Bears had cut Bars and then brought him back to the practice squad. He spent Games 1-5 of the regular season there, then the Patriots made their offer to get him on their regular roster but he stayed in Chicago

"I felt like the opportunity here in this franchise was greater," Bars told ChicagoBears.com.

So Bars did get in during the final five games after being a game-day inactive from Games 6-11, it was very minimal action.

In essence, this will be his first season except for a few snaps.

But he's healthy now and hoping to show off ability the Bears haven't seen yet to date in an effort to play either tackle or guard.

He'll need a healthy knee because the Bears have loaded up the guard competition. Besides the battle at right guard for a starter between Germain Ifedi and Rashaad Coward, both seventh-round draft picks Lachavious Simmons and Arlington Hambright project as guard/tackles. And veteran Corey Levin signed with the Bears at the end of November and plays guard.

Alex Bars at a Glance

Notre Dame T/G

Height: 6-foot-5

Weight: 314

Key Numbers: Bars had only 12 snaps on offense last season.

Chances of Making Roster: 2.5 out of 5 with 5 being the most.

2020 Projection: Reserve guard/tackle

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