From Struggles to Stability? Bears’ offensive line faces early prove-it game

Ariana Pensy · Correspondent · 4 hours ago

CHICAGO - Chicago’s revamped offensive line will make its debut against a blitz-heavy defense in the Minnesota Vikings on Mon, Sept 8 (7:15 p.m. / ABC).

This will be a good test to see if the Bears’ pre-snap issues that surfaced in training camp have been resolved, as well as whether this offensive line can protect quarterback Caleb Williams.

“We feel like we’ve had a really (good) camp working hard and making progress. So, I feel like we’ve got a lot of confidence and a lot of momentum going into the season and looking forward to it. I think it’ll be a great environment,” center Drew Dalman said. “We’ve done a really good job of communicating with each other and letting each other know what’s helpful, what’s not helpful, what kind of things (Williams) really likes to hear from me and what things we need from him. So, that stuff has been really good, learning the flow of information at the line of scrimmage and then just the offense as a whole runs really well when all of us are communicating and so, that’s been a focus, the o-line relaying everything we need to know and the quarterback relaying back and all that. So, I feel like that’s been really improving and it’s been good.”

Williams had a rough rookie year, getting sacked 68 times and working with three different offensive coordinators and two head coaches. It would be understandable if he were lacking in confidence after that first season.

However, Dalman said Williams has shown more confidence in the huddle and leading the offense as this offseason and training camp have gone on.

“Caleb’s confidence in the huddle and all the things that when you first start out, you have a lot of things on your mind and so, it’s hard to focus on any one thing and then the more reps you get, the more things become a bit more unconscious and you kind of rattle them off quicker,” Dalman said. “I think that stuff is progressing and then from a whole unit perspective, we all are doing a better job of knowing exactly where we need to be and so we can make those things more efficient. So, I think the group as a whole is doing a good job.”

Having an All-Pro left guard is something that can help a quarterback’s confidence in his protection. That is the kind of presence Joe Thuney is expected to bring to the line this season after the Bears acquired him in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs.

As someone entering his tenth season, Thuney also has a wealth of knowledge he can pass on to his fellow offensive linemen.

“Joe’s been an awesome teammate, awesome resource, all those things,” Dalman said. “I feel like Joe’s, all his experience, and he’s just seen every look, seen it all multiple times and so, his takes on what’s important, how you attack certain looks, how you handle certain pressures, things like that, has been really good and as well as just being a great teammate and a good role model.”

Under a week before the start of the NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys traded two-time All-Pro and four-time Pro-Bowl linebacker Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. Dalman and the rest of the offensive line will now have to face Parsons twice this season, both times in December.

While Dalman knows it will be a challenge to face him, he also said it is not something the Bears are too focused on right now, as they are currently focused on the season opener against the Vikings.

“Great player and all that. So, it’ll be a good challenge and everything,” Dalman said. “But, honestly, right now, I feel like we’re so one week at a time that that’s very much on the back burner, and we’re focused on Minnesota, and so, we’ll handle all those things when they come.”