Bear Digest

More Offensive Line Flux

After one of the best offensive line efforts of the year for the Bears against the Raiders, they could now be without center Lucas Patrick as a late add to the injury report.
More Offensive Line Flux
More Offensive Line Flux

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File this under the category of "good luck with that."

The Bears already have issues on the offensive line with Teven Jenkins moved to right guard, Braxton Jones not back yet and Nate Jones out with an ankle sprain, but now they've got to worry about their starting center.

Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa and Co. have to be elated with the prospect of facing the Bears offensive line amid so much flux.

Over five hours before pregame inactives are slated to come out, center Lucas Patrick has been added to the injury report with a back problem. He is listed as questionable for the game with the Chargers.

It kind of makes you wonder how physical walk-throughs are at Halas Hall because Patrick wasn't on Friday's injury report and missed no practice time this week. There was no update on Saturday about him when they release possible roster moves.

The Bears do have options. Second-year center Doug Kramer could make his first NFL start or they could move Cody Whitehair back to center after he has had trouble with shotgun snaps in his return to the position this year.

Patrick is graded 33rd out of 38 NFL centers Pro Football Focus has graded this season for 359 plays. All of his plays this year have been at center.

The injury comes after Patrick had three straight weeks of PFF grades in the 60s. He had been in the 40s and 50s prior to that this season. His grade of 66.0 last week against the Raiders was his second best of the season.

If they chose to go with Whitehair at center, they could put Jenkins back to left guard and play Ja'Tyre Carter at right guard in place of Davis.

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.