Bear Digest

The key potential danger within Chicago Bears offensive plans

While Caleb Williams' second-year improvement is often cited as the Bears' key this season, the foundation for his development rests with the line and a possible issue has been detected.
Gene Chamberlain|
No one can doubt the credentials of Joe Thuney (right) after six Super Bowls but is counting on Jonah Jackson too much to ask?
No one can doubt the credentials of Joe Thuney (right) after six Super Bowls but is counting on Jonah Jackson too much to ask? | Chicago Bears On SI Photo: Chicago Bears vide

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The Bears base their offensive success this season on Caleb Williams' improvement.

However, that throwing success is dependent upon the reconstructed interior offensive line. Bears coach Ben Johnson never operated as a playcaller without a strong offensive line in Detroit.

Compared with last year's line, it looks like they achieved their aims at building strong support but problems can occur. One familiar problem is a concern raised by NFL.com senior news writer Kevin Patra in a thorough, objective analysis of the case for and against every NFC North team.

While Patra sees a possible record-setting passing season possible for the Bears and a complete turnaround in their fortunes, he points out how much rides on that changed offensive line and the possible chink in this armor.

"Bringing in O-line veterans Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman and Jonah Jackson immediately upgraded the weakest part of the roster," Patra writes. "There is some risk here—especially given Jackson's injury history (he hasn't played a full regular season since 2020)—but that gamble is preferable to the alternative."

It's an injury record not often addressed but Jackson did miss four games with the Lions in 2022, five in 2023 and last year with the Rams about half of the season due to injury. Some of the rest of his13 missed games last year were the result of losing a job he didn't necessarily come there to work. That was playing center instead of guard.

If Jackson's three-year trend continues, GM Ryan Poles is going to look foolish. He pursued and traded for a guard with 23 missed games in four years. Teven Jenkins missed 23 games in four years. If Jenkins could have avoided many of those injuries, then letting him leave in free agency never would have been a consideration because he always played well when healthy.

The Bears feel they have the means to avoid disaster if Jackson's injury misfortunes continue, but whether they really do is debatable for the same old reason.

Ryan Bates is the guard-center backup they brought back as insurance but his own shoulder injury last year was severe enough to force him to leave the country for treatment. He apparently came through all of it fine, but Bates could have easily helped solve their right guard problems last year when Nate Davis was dispatched and was able to play only three games. Bates also had a concussion issue besides the shoulder.

Bates, though, does not have a history of being an often-injured player. He did miss two games in 2022 with an ankle injury. Perhaps the Bears do have a depth answer here. Then again, they thought they had an answer in Lucas Patrick and he couldn't stay healthy or play very effectively.

Between the two guards, they feel they have the position adequately covered in case health problems continue.  

There is also Bill Murray's potential. He wowed the Pro Football Focus people with brief but effective stint blocking as an unknown backup last year. Then, like with Bates and Jenkins, he was also injured, going out for the year with a torn pec.

The Bears have had nothing but terrible health at guard, and then, also, poor judgment with signing Davis.

If this was the foundation for their turnaround, they have to hope their poor injury fortune is done because injuries can cause the entire foundation to crumble.

And when your backup help has as poor of a health record as the starters, it's more than a case for concern. It could be a disaster waiting to happen.

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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.