Bears Limited in Ways to Improve Their Offensive Line
Considering the Bears have chosen to continue with Mitchell Trubisky starting at quarterback, and the way they performed last year in wins and losses, a trend is obvious and it dictates the route they need to take in 2020.
It points to one obvious path for the draft and/or free agency.
Whatever they do, the Bears have to bolster their offensive line and most likely do it at two positions. They need to do it in order to get their running game to be at least as effective as it was in 2018, if not better.
If they do this from within with a lineman already on the team and then add a draft pick of free agent, it's fine. They could do it with two draft picks or with a draft pick and a free agent. It doesn't matter. Somehow they have to get better on the offensive line. They need to get better blocking out of the tight end position, as well.
They have to come up with a way to run the ball more effectively because Trubisky showed in 2019 he is not going to be a prolific downfield passer, but can be a winner if backed by a running game.
In Trubisky's seven wins as starter last year, they averaged 112.7 yards a game. That's counting the 16-6 win over Minnesota as a Chase Daniel start because Trubisky left on the first series. In Trubisky's seven losses, the Bears averaged 79.7 yards rushing.
It's going to be much easier to come up with a draft pick to play at tackle than it would be to go the free agent route.
The same is actually true at guard, but it's usually easier to find guards at lower prices in free agency than it is tackle. And it's easier to come up with a guard in the draft, too, because frequently tackles who are drafted get converted to guard.
It's going to be especially difficult to find a tackle in free agency this year. Seven of the nine highest paid tackles in free agency are in their 30s, and five are 32 or older.
No one wants to pay prime dollar for a player so far along in their career. Yet teams pay ridiculous amounts for tackles all the time.
Last year the Kansas City Chiefs paid Cameron Erving 4.1 million and he wasn't even a starter. He started eight games, filling in at either tackle or guard, and was coming off one of the worst years a lineman can imagine. In 2018 he committed 15 penalties and Pro Football Focus cited him for giving up 32 quarterback pressures.
The best prime-age free agent is Tennessee's 26-year-old Jack Conklin, and Spotrac.com fixed a market value of $15 million a year for him. With their cap situation, the Bears couldn't afford to bring in Conklin's toenail.
Even the Packers' Bryan Bulaga, who spends much of his time rehabbing injuries, is projected by Spotrac.com at $10.1 million. It's too rich for the Bears.
Mike Remmers is looking for his eighth team after starting last year for the Giants and producing a mundane PFF grade of 64.3.
The sad truth is if you're looking for tackles in an attempt to upgrade, you're overpaying greatly because teams with good ones value them. Or you're taking players with shaky pasts.
The only real answer would be to trade the future for Trent Williams, whose salary would be a cap killer. It also would require giving up a first-round draft pick in 2021.
The best option for the Bears might be to draft one in Round 2 or later and try to train them while hoping Charles Leno Jr. doesn't repeat the troubles he had last season.
Suddenly those penalties and sacks allowed by Leno last year don't look too bad.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
