Bears Could Have Answer to Line Troubles on Roster
It's possible the solution to Chicago Bears offensive line issues might already be at hand and is simply a well-guarded secret.
Or maybe it's accurate to say he's not the center of attention.
All puns aside, Corey Levin might be an answer in 2020 to their right guard troubles and few even realize he's been on the roster all along.
At least he's been on there since Nov. 30, when they also signed tight end Eric Saubert.
Levin was signed away from the Denver Broncos practice squad. He'd been there since mid-September, when the Tennessee Titans decided to go in another direction after two years and placed him on waivers.
Levin played at Tennessee-Chattanooga and was a sixth-round draft pick by the Titans in 2017. He plays guard or center and enjoys center more. For the Bears, if he succeeds it could work either way. Cody Whitehair could go back to guard if Levin is an effective center. Or Whitehair could maintain the center spot if Levin worked in at guard.
First crack at the right guard hole will go to Rashaad Coward, who played half a season there last year and struggled. He allowed just one sack while committing five penalties and compiling a sub-par 51.5 grade on Pro Football Focus' scale.
Levin was given a 54.3 grade in 2018 by Pro Football Focus when he was involved in 140 snaps for the Titans, including a start in London and another game when he came on in relief and aided a 26-22 win over the New York Jets.
Unlike other options for the position already on the roster, Levin has draft pedigree and actually is a higher draft pick than either starting Bears tackle Charles Leno Jr. (7th round) or Coward (undrafted).
Wnen the Titans discarded Levin, they knew they had a line which was going to help them finish third in the NFL in rushing. Pro Football Focus had rated the Titans the fourth-best offensive line in the league heading into 2019. Eventually Tennessee reached the AFC championship game.
At Denver, Levin was learning the offense but the Broncos' line situations had stabilized and they kept him on the practice squad, which was a mistake. The Bears thought enough of him that they were willing to put him on the regular roster to protect him from other teams.
Beyond Coward and Levin, the Bears have undrafted Notre Dame players Alex Bars and Sam Mustipher and tackle Dino Boyd, who is from Cincinnati.
No doubt the Bears will study adding a guard in the draft and/or free agency, but whoever they bring in will be behind Levin already since he's been learning the offense since the beginning of December.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
