Time and Familiarity Aid Bears O-Line

A year ago at this time the Bears were putting Dakota Dozier on injured reserve because he tore an ACL in minicamp after battling with Sam Mustipher for starting right guard.

The Bears weren't sure if fifth-round draft pick Braxton Jones could hold up as a left tackle starter coming out of Southern Utah—not exactly a football factory.

They were certain Cody Whitehair was their left guard and Lucas Patrick the center, while right tackle was probably going to be Larry Borom after eight NFL starts, with Teven Jenkins owning a chance at starting there as well.

Eventually they had to make a few panic moves and sign veteran free agent tackle Riley Reiff and free agent guard Michael Schofield as training camp started, then had to put Mustipher at center when Patrick broke a thumb starting camp.

Essentially, they pieced together an offensive line, then saw it dissected by injuries as they had nine starting lineup switches in 17 games.

Things look quite a bit different as the Bears head for training camp this year.

Every starting line spot is decided with Jones at left tackle, Jenkins at left guard, Whitehair at center, veteran free agent acquisition Nate Davis a big-dollar acquisition at right guard and first-round draft pick Darnell Wright at right tackle.

"It's just continuity," Eberflus said. "It's beneficial to have that. It's important that guys work together so they get the calls down."

They have already had two weeks practicing in the offseason together and even know who the top backups are, or at least have a good idea.

"Getting together now and having those guys in there only helps us later down the road with our combination fits, our communication, all the continuity stuff that it takes to be a good line," Whitehair said.

Jenkins had plenty of time to be prepared for a position switch to left guard. Last year one day at training camp he was at right tackle with Borom, then the next day he was a right guard for good. This year he found out about a switch in a phone call in mid-March.

"It gave me time to actually work on my footwork and my mentality," Jenkins said. "I got back in my playbook. Had to flip because certain plays are going this way and now they have to go this way. My whole mindset had to change. So it was very good to have that time in between."

The switch gives the Bears versatility on the line. If needed, Whitehair or Jenkins could be a left or right guard. Patrick can play either.

"Certainly you have to have guys that flex inside and out," Eberflus said of backups. "Lucas does that. We'll have to figure out who’s gonna be flexing outside for us as we go through this."

The outside flex is undecided as Larry Borom and Alex Leatherwood could do it. Jenkins could even play tackle again if he had to—he refers to himself as a guard now but says he could move back in an emergency.

"The versatility part is huge as an O-lineman, obviously," Whitehair said. "Suiting up seven or eight guys on game day, we all know injuries happen, certain things happen. Being able to adapt and play different sides is only going to help you later in your career."

The goal is not using that versatility by keeping everyone healthy.

Perhaps the only real uncertainty is how Wright will do as a rookie. Unlike Jones last year, he at least has SEC and top-10 draft pick pedigree. He has seen much of the offense installed as they worked at it in the offseason.

"There's some things that he hasn't walked through, he hasn't heard installed yet," line coach Chris Morgan said. "You're still kind of in that process. Still kind of introducing the calls to him, the tecnhiques to him, his responsibility in the sceheme. You're trying to cover your playbook which is completely different from–all these guys (line or otherwise) that came in–their playbook.

"Learning the terminology, learning the overall scheme, learning fundamentals. Just learning to communicate with the guy next to him because it is a little bit different. It's just different."

It's a lot better to have done it already since rookie camp, though, and much better for the veterans around him to know where they're playing and how to play it.

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