More Bears Offensive Line Change

Lineup changes due to better health are not confined to the Bears backfield.

Besides the possibility quarterback Justin Fields and running back Khalil Herbert could return this week, the most perplexing question the Bears face as soon as this week is what happens with Nate Davis back.

Herbert and Fields were starters before their injuries. Fields will be starter again and probably Herbert, because of his explosiveness.

However, real change could be coming on the offensive line—like the Bears haven't already had enough changed starting offensive lines.

They've had six different starting lineups in 10 weeks.

With Nate Davis a possibility to return at right guard against the Detroit Lions for the first time since Week 5, it can leave the Bears with a perplexing situation.

"The combinations there are gonna be a discussion that we have to have, for sure," coach Matt Eberflus said Monday.

It seems extremely unlikely they would bench Teven Jenkins. He moved from left guard to right guard when Davis went out. Cody Whitehair had been playing left guard, moved to center one game due to an injury to Lucas Patrick, then back to left guard when Jenkins went to right guard.

So the possibility exits they would bench Whitehair and put Jenkins at left guard again. Or they could put him at center and bench Patrick, or put Davis at left guard and leave Jenkins at right guard. It's whatever offensive line coach Chris Morgan can come up with to face the Lions, who are ranked third against the run.

"Nate's a good player," Eberflus said. "Cody's a good player. Teven's a good player. So it’s a good problem to have.

"We'll look at it and put our best five out there that we're gonna put out there for the Lions."

Not that Pro Football Focus is the be-all, end-all but the grading system is based on film review of all NFL games and Jenkins is graded 11th among all guards in the league. He's almost graded equally as a run and pass blocker.

Whitehair is graded 79th out of 82 guards so even if you don't put much stock in those grades, they can't be off by that much. The course seems clear for the Bears, provided they want to put Davis back in the lineup.

It's been a difficult season for Davis with injuries and then the loss of his mother. He's been for only about a third of the offensive plays and was graded 57 out of 82 guards by PFF.

Whitehair at center instead of Patrick could be something they consider because Patrick is graded 34th out of all NFL centers. However, the Bears had some snap issues in shotgun when they did move Whitehair to center against Washington and Minnesota.

Whitehair's via PFF against Minnesota was his worst of the year and came at center. He had a better game there in the win over Washington.

Patrick was in for some plays at center in both the Washington and Minnesota game and his PFF grades for those were better in than Whitehair's for the same game. Also, Patrick is coming off his highest-graded game of the year against Carolina.

"I see really all three guys being able to flip and play," Eberflus said. "We've just gotta figure out the best combination, who's next to who and what gives us the best spot."

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