Possible Help Available from Eagles

On the surface, what looks like a real opportunity for the Bears might be not be the right move.

Then again, they don't appear to be in a position to be picky.

The Philadelphia Eagles released third-year guard Nate Herbig on Monday according to his agent, after they had gone through the process of tendering him an offer as a restricted free agent. Herbig had signed the offer sheet, as well.

Herbig is a right guard and the Bears seem to have a right guard opening as they were lining up former Vikings guard/tackle backup Dakota Dozier and their own 2021 starting center Sam Mustipher at the guard spot in minicamp.

The Bears had tried to sign restricted free agent Ryan Bates away from the Buffalo Bills to play the right guard spot where James Daniels used to play, but the Bills matched the offer sheet.

Herbig actually was more highly regarded by Pro Football Focus last year than Bates. Herbig allowed one sack and committed three penalties and PFF gave him a 68.1 grade. Bates, on the other hand, had a 64.3 grade.

There are possible connections here, as well. Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham was with the Eagles in 2019 when Herbig came into the league, and is a former offensive lineman like Bears GM Ryan Poles is. So he has some insight into Herbig.

Herbig is also an undrafted free agent, something Poles has seemed to pursue in the players he has brought in during free agency. The thinking is they are hungrier and set a better competitive tone in the first year of the team's rebuild. Plus, they're cheaper.

Herbig had signed an offer sheet for the minimum $2.43 million, which had allowed the Eagles right of first refusal on offers.

According to PhillyVoice's Jimmy Kempski, the Eagles tried to find a trade for Herbig but weren't successful. Herbig is reportedly as being an extra piece now because the Eagles feel their offensive line is loaded.

It might seem like an ideal situation for the Bears—a right guard who has started 17 games in the last two years at a low cost with no compensation involved. They're looking right now at either Dozier, Mustipher, rookie Zachary Thomas or possibly seventh-round rokie Ja'Tyre Carter moving to the spot.

So Herbig would seem like an ideal possiblity.

However, there could be one catch. Herbig is a massive guard at 6-4, 334 pounds. The former Stanford player is built more like a lineman they would have sought in their old offense.

The wide-zone scheme they're using his year uses quicker, more athletic linemen. Herbig had a 5.41-second 40 time at the combine and isn't exactly fleet afoot.

This hardly seems a problem considering the other Bears options at the moment.
The Bears could have signed veteran tackle Trai Turner all along if they wanted to go the route of bringing in another veteran. The former Steelers and Panthers tackle has agreed to a one-year deal for $3 million with the Washington Commanders, according to Pro Football Talk.

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