Offensive Line, Receiver Changes Possible
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There could be alterations in personnel usage Sunday when the Bears play the Minnesota Vikings, one involving the offensive line and the other at wide receiver.
One change they won't make at receiver is activating N'Keal Harry. The former Patriots receiver just began his 21-day window to be considered for return from injured reserve and looked good to Eberflus. However, he won't be active this week.
"Yeah, he was good," Eberflus said. "We've got that 21-day window and we thought he looked really good.
"He did some practice reps for us on the show team and got some individual in there and he's looking good."
However, he won't be activated yet. With a game coming right away on Thursday at Soldier Field against Washington, it seems like a more likely time for a return.
Another change at receiver could be playing reps for Velus Jones. Last week Jones got in only on special teams as the third-round draft pick made his debut following a hamstring injury dating back to preseason.
"He got more (practice) opportunities in the offense and we'll see where it goes," Eberflus said. "He's certainly a guy that can be explosive. And he was more consistent this week."
O-Line Double Back
Eberflus could be doubling back on his offensive line plans.
On Monday he had said the Bears would go forward with the offensive line they used at the end of Sunday's loss to the Giants, with Lucas Patrick at left guard for injured Cody Whitehair, Sam Mustipher at center and Teven Jenkins going from part-time right guard starter to full time.
However, when asked Friday if those plans had changed he chose not to answer.
"We're looking at everything," Eberflus said. "Obviously we're looking at everything and we have to switch people around a little bit to make sure we have backups in each spot at right and at center and at left.
"You know, so we're moving guys around and there will be a combination in there that we we'll decide during that time in the next 48 hours."
The change being considered is Patrick playing center.
"Nothing happened," Eberflus said when asked why he had suddenly hedged. "We obviously have to look at Lucas at center, too. That's an important piece to it and we did that."
What this could mean for the line is entirely uncertain.
The Bears had been weighing a move of Lucas to center before last game but he had been recovering from thumb surgery. It's been 10 weeks since his injury and if he is ready to play center it's not clear what it could mean for Mustipher, who didn't exactly enjoy one of his best games last week.
Only one center in the NFL has allowed more pressures than Mustipher, according to Pro Football Focus. He has a pass blocking grade on the year of 22.7, worst among all NFL starters.
The last game dragged down Mustipher's season grade because he had been trending up slightly from last year. He had a 1.5 grade for blocking the pass.
Not having Whitehair due to a knee injury is a huge blow as he had been their most consistent starter and had an 83.3 grade for last week's 27 plays before his knee injury.
If Lucas Patrick at Center, Then ...
If Patrick starts, options at left guard could be veteran Michael Schofield or rookie Ja'Tyre Carter.
For Schofield it would be a rather strange journey from being signed as camp started, to splitting time with starters, to being cut on final roster cutdowns, to returning to the team and then going into the starting lineup.
Other options might be using tackle Riley Reiff at guard or using him at tackle while moving tackle Larry Borom to guard. But none of those are options the Bears had even practiced or worked at in camp.
Then again, last week they used Patrick at left guard and he hadn't practiced the position, although he had started eight games there with Green Bay in the past.
"You're lucky you have a guy that has that kind of experience," offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said. "I mean, he's been thrown in those situations before, but it's still not an easy task. I think he's taken zero snaps at left guard since he's been here and for him to go out there and be able to finish that game the way he did, we're lucky we have Lucas."
He had taken zero until the game, but during practices this week it's been different.
"We're in the middle of figuring all that out," Getsy said Thursday. "Yesterday he did a little bit of everything, so we're gonna try to put what we feel in the end, by the end of the week, we'll evaluate it again today and then make that decision."
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