Bear Digest

High Bears Offensive Line Ranking Comes with Big Problem

The Bears offensive line received a ranking some might wonder about after they allowed 50 sacks the last three seasons but Pro Football Network's rating comes with a catch.
Gene Chamberlain|
Darnell Wright had a solid rookie year at right tackle and one website sees more good things ahead for the Bears offensive line.
Darnell Wright had a solid rookie year at right tackle and one website sees more good things ahead for the Bears offensive line. | Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

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Chicago Bears

Part of the problem many projections see ahead for the Bears this season is reflected clearly in the lastest analysis from Pro Football Network.

The analysis is a ranking of the league's offensive lines, which always seems to be a hot topic among Bears fan.

The Bears line often gets blamed for Justin Fields' sacks even when the line helped pave the way for the offense to be first and second in rushing the las two years.

The Bears allowed 50 sacks each of the last three years and not all of it could be blamed on Fields holding the ball too long.

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The ranking by PFN's Dallas Robinson will surprise even the more optimistic Bears supporters. The Bears offensive line is ranked 10th in the NFL.

"The group had trouble staying healthy last season but could ascend if injuries remain at bay in 2024," Robinson wrote.

His description of Ryan Bates as starting center seems a bit of a stretch, considering this is a guard with 200 career plays at center and the Bear also signed former Rams starting center Coleman Shelton, who has 1,700 snaps.

Still, the assessment about health is entirely correct. It goes back two years, in fact. They had 19 changes of the starting offensive line the past two seasons because of injuries.

Putting together the same group for an extended period can work wonders. The Packers found this out last year down the stretch.

Which brings up the problem made apparent by this ranking.

The Bears offensive line of Braxton Jones, Teven Jenkins, Shelton or Bates, Nate Davis and Darnell Wright is ranked 10th.

The Lions are ranked second, the Packers are ranked fifth and the Vikings are ranked ninth. The Bears might be 10th, but they have the worst offensive line in the division according to PFN.

When their defensive line is a real question this year because they lack a strong pass rusher on one side and have an unproven second-year starting defensive tackle, those other offensive lines are capable of doing damange.

Caleb Williams, the explosive receiver corps and this 10th-ranked offensive line are going to need to put up some points to win games in this division.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.