Analyzing the Bears Offensive Line, Post-Hibernation

With the Chicago Bears mandatory minicamp underway and training camp right around the corner, it's time to start familiarizing yourself with the team's roster. This year, I've chosen to break this down as individual articles for each position group. Look out for two positional previews per week, paired with podcast episodes available on Apple , Spotify , and live streamed on YouTube !

• Running Backs
• Wide Receivers
• Tight Ends

Chicago Bears Interior Offensive Line

The charts included are based on my own charting and grading of every snap from the Bears offensive line in 2023.

Teven Jenkins

Teven Jenkins rules. When he's on the field, at least. Jenkins has played in 31 games across his three-year NFL career, with only 24 starts. Ever since moving inside to offensive guard, he's been very successful on the field. But his career has been plagued with back, neck, hip, and leg injuries and a concussion.

In 2023, Jenkins was playing near an All-Pro level for the Bears. He posted the 14th-highest PFF grade among qualifying offensive guards, with the 12th-best run-blocking grade and 17th-best pass-blocking grade (per PFF). My charting was more favorable of Jenkins' play than the PFF grades, but both systems show a player coming into his own as both a run and pass blocker.

The Bears' offensive line plays with an edge when Jenkins is on the field. He's the tone-setter for the group. Jenkins' improved consistency is one of my favorite takeaways from the 2023 season. Lock Jenkins in to start at left guard this season and consider an extension if he can stay healthy for 14+ games. I'm expecting big things from Jenkins in a contract year.

Nate Davis

The 2023 season was a disappointing one for Nate Davis. He ranked 60th in PFF grade among qualifying offensive guards, ranking 58th in run-blocking grade, and 67th in pass-blocking grade (per PFF). My charting was slightly more forgiving, but both systems showed a player who fell significantly short of his contract and historical expectations.

According to my charting, Davis recorded average results at a decent rate but recorded good results at a low rate. He didn't provide enough difference-making blocks to make up for his blunders. Davis only produced a "great" block on 1% of his pass-blocking reps and 2% of his run-blocking reps. But he produced a "bad" rep on 4% of his pass-blocking reps and 5% of his run-blocking reps. To live with "bad" reps, you need to produce "great" reps, and that's something he didn't do enough of.

I don't think the 2023 season was an accurate representation of Davis as a player, though. He lost a loved one at the start of the season. Things like that impact people in every single aspect of their lives. These players are human and go through ups and downs personally, just like the rest of us. I expect to see Davis starting at right guard in 2024. If he doesn't bounce back, I expect the Bears to lean on Ryan Bates, Matt Pryor, or Kiran Amegadjie.

Ryan Bates

Ryan Bates only played 35 snaps for the Bills in 2023. But in 2022, he played 1,082 snaps, primarily at right guard. In his NFL career, he has played 95 snaps at left tackle, 334 snaps at left guard, 203 snaps at center, 980 snaps at right guard, and 29 snaps at right tackle. I reviewed one of his two career starts at center and came away slightly underwhelmed. However, I still feel okay about his ability to be a solid zone blocker given his athleticism.

Bates is twitchy out of his stance and up to the second level as a run blocker. He fits in a zone running scheme with experience playing in gap concepts from his time in Buffalo. I wish I had seen more tenacious, impactful hands from Bates. As a zone blocker, I wanted to see more horizontal movement, defined run lanes, and more consistent run fits. However, it's important to note that it was his first career start at center, and those could be things that improve with experience.

In pass protection, Bates was generally fine. He won't be a difference-maker in pass protection, more likely to lean on the offensive guards for help. Ultimately, the Bears attacked an athletic blocker with significant positional versatility. While I'm not sure I love him as the starting center, I love the idea of Bates as a super-utility backup interior offensive lineman.

Coleman Shelton

Over the last two seasons, Coleman Shelton has started at center in 30 regular-season games for the Los Angeles Rams. It appears Bates and Shelton have been splitting snaps at center. Shelton is an athletic but undersized center who's quick off the line with an attacking play style. He offers some positional versatility with marginal NFL experience at both guard spots. But with his build and play traits, asking him to play guard could get messy.

In 2023, the Rams shifted their run scheme to include more gap concepts than zone concepts. Shelton graded out well enough as a gap scheme blocker (64.3 per PFF) due to his ability to get out in space. But his bread and butter is as a zone-blocking center, boasting the fourth-best zone-blocking grade amongst all qualifying centers in 2023 (per PFF).

In his first year starting (2022), Shelton was a plus player in pass protection but struggled as a run blocker. He flipped the script in 2023, posting impressive grades as a run blocker but poor grades in pass protection. Given his stature, I wouldn't expect him to be consistently strong in pass protection. He likely depends on the offensive guards to help contain interior pass rushers.

Chicago Bears Offensive Tackles

The charts included are based on my own charting and grading of every snap from the Bears offensive line in 2023.

Darnell Wright

Darnell Wright had a solid season for a rookie offensive tackle. Among the 17 rookie offensive tackles drafted in the first round over the last five years, Wright ranks ninth in PFF grade, 11th in pass-blocking grade, fifth in true pass set grade, and seventh in run-blocking grade.

According to my charting, he was the Bears' third-best offensive lineman. However, I can't help but feel like the shoulder injury he played through derailed his grades and charting data to an extent. At this point, I'm extremely excited about Wright's future. I'm confident that the Bears got a good one.

Braxton Jones

I see Braxton Jones as a fine to slightly above-average offensive tackle. He ranked 35th in PFF grade among qualifying offensive tackles, ranking 30th in run-blocking grade, and 31st in pass-blocking grade (per PFF). According to my charting, Jones was the second-best blocker on the team last year when he was on the field. However, that doesn't account for how Darnell Wright fought through a significant shoulder injury.

I hope Jones improved his hip flexibility and lower-body strength to more easily set his anchor and hold ground. Additionally, improved hand fighting early in the rep could go a long way toward masking his weaknesses. Although, I can't help but wonder whether last year's neck injury may have impacted his mobility. The injury appeared to impact his ability to rotate his upper half and head last season.

Other Offensive Lineman

With rookie Kiran Amegadjie , I think the ideal scenario would be to keep him on the bench all season. Let him focus on developing his hand technique and hand placement while adjusting to the speed of the NFL. He has a steep learning curve coming from the Ivy League. If he gets thrown into the fire, I'd see development stalling as he does what he must to survive.

Other swing tackles include Matt Pryor, Larry Borom, and Jake Curhan. I think Pryor offers the most positional versatility (inside and outside) combined with NFL success. Meanwhile, Curhan spent time with Waldron in Seattle before signing with the Bears and could be placed on the practice squad. Borom might be the odd man out due to his increased salary and Chicago's roster situation.

On the interior, the Bears have impressive versatility in their depth. Between Pryor and Bates, the Bears have two players with true left-right versatility on the interior. The final player is Ja'Tyre Carter, who should still be considered a developmental project until proven otherwise.

Assuming the Bears keep eight linemen on the final roster, I'd expect that to include Teven Jenkins, Darnell Wright, Braxton Jones, Nate Davis, Ryan Bates, Coleman Shelton, Matt Pryor, and Kiran Amegadjie. I assume the Bears will do what they can to keep Ja'Tyre Carter and Jake Curhan on the practice squad.

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