Poles confident in Bears’ OL depth after roster overhaul

Ariana Pensy · Correspondent · 2 hours ago

CHICAGO - Last year, Chicago came into the season proclaiming to have a lot of depth at the offensive line. That proved to be false.

But this year, general manager Ryan Poles truly believes the Bears have the kind of quality depth they lacked last year.

“We’re going to go with 10. That backup group has versatility, upside,” Poles said. “Guys can plug in right now and play and there’s a couple guys that over the course of the year, should continue to get better to help us in the future this year or even down the road. So, we’re in good shape there.”

With the offensive line, more than any other position group, chemistry and continuity are of the utmost importance. However, Chicago has lacked continuity on the offensive line in recent years due to injuries and underperforming players.

Now, with a revamped offensive line with two new guards - Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson - along with center Drew Dalman, Poles is hoping to have that continuity this year, but believes it is vital to have talented depth in the event of injuries.

“We’re up there in terms of how many different combinations we’ve rolled out there for the last three years,” Poles said. “So, you want to make sure you have insurance that guys can play and they can play multiple positions when you’re dressing eight guys for a game. So, we should be in pretty good shape.”

The one question mark on the offensive line is the left tackle. There does not seem to be an obvious answer for who will be the starting left tackle for week one. Braxton Jones appears to have the edge, given his veteran experience, but rookie Ozzy Trapilo has had a strong training camp and has put himself in contention for the starting job.

Someone who is not in contention for the starting job is Kiran Amegadjie. Chicago is giving the Hinsdale native a chance as he made the active roster.

However, they are experimenting with him more at guard, and that has shown some promise.

“He started practicing at guard too. It actually looked pretty good. So, we’ll continue to work on his versatility,” Poles said. “We know he can do some left and right. But, playing inside is going to be big too.”

On the other side of the line, the defensive line has been having a productive training camp, with edge rusher Montez Sweat, third-year player Gervon Dexter, and new addition interior defensive lineman Grady Jarrett all contributing.

If the Bears continue to struggle with slow starts on offense, Chicago will have to rely on its defense, especially in the season opener against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, Sept. 8 (7:15 p.m. / ABC).

“I think this was the best training camp Montez Sweat’s had. He’s in really good shape, ready to go. I think Dexter’s ready to make a move and then when you put those guys together with Grady, who’s been a great addition not only on the field, but his leadership,” Poles said. “That group has really lifted in terms of their play and their mentality and then with (defensive coordinator) Dennis (Allen), I’m sure there’s things we haven’t even seen yet in terms of him helping and enhancing and creating confusion to get to the quarterback.”

When you are going against one of the best wide receivers in the league, Justin Jefferson, in the season opener, you want your secondary to be healthy. However, Chicago’s top cornerback, Jaylon Johnson, is still questionable for week one, and the secondary has struggled to stay healthy in general.

The injuries in the secondary have been concerning, but Poles feels good about some of the additions the Bears added this offseason, including Nahshon Wright and Nick McCloud.

“The secondary really hasn’t been healthy together since the spring. Kyler (Gordon) was out for a little bit. Jaylon was out for a little bit. So, it’s kind of been a little bit of mix and match there. So, it’s going to be really nice when we get all those guys healthy and competing at the same level. So, it’s always felt a little uncomfortable in terms of the corner position,” Poles said. “But again, there’s been development there. Nahshon Wright coming in from Minnesota has done a good job and he’s gotten significantly better. McCould’s been a great surprise coming in, competing, being an inside, outside, special teams guy.”