Bears should give Coleman Shelton a new contract |
It is impossible to deny how horribly the offensive line played last season. Injuries certainly did not help, but there is no excuse for giving up 68 sacks. Honestly, it is a little surprising that rookie quarterback Caleb Williams was only sacked 68 times, given the offensive line play.
One of the members of the line, center Coleman Shelton, is set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) in March. Despite the play of the unit as a whole, Shelton did quite well. He played 99 percent of the snaps this season for a total of 1,121 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). His PFF grade is above the average center with an overall grade of 66.4, pass blocking grade of 68.4, and run blocking grade of 66.7. His overall grade was probably brought down by the fact he gave up three sacks this season. However, for a team that allowed nearly 70 sacks, the fact that he gave up three is not all that bad. In addition, Shelton was only penalized four times this year. While that is still an area of improvement for him, it is not a deal breaker. You rarely find a good center in this league. However, it seems the Bears have, as Shelton is considered one of the top UFA prospects at center. The only center making more than him who is set to be a UFA is Ryan Kelly, a four-time Pro-Bowler with the Indianapolis Colts who will be 32 years old when the season starts. Conversely, Shelton will only be 30, so he is a little younger. In addition, it should be noted that a few centers will become free agents in March. Shelton is one of 10 centers set to become a UFA. Therefore, if the Bears elected not to bring back Shelton, their options for replacing him are limited. Their options in the draft are also limited, and they need a left tackle more than a center. The relationship between the center and the quarterback is essential. If the snap goes poorly, the entire play is probably ruined, and the offense will be lucky to keep the ball. Williams experienced a lot of turmoil during his rookie season. The least the Bears could do is keep something the same and keep Shelton on the roster. Through his performance, Shelton deserves the starting role. Given the center competition during the offseason leading up to this past season, keeping Shelton raises questions about what the Bears should do with offensive lineman Ryan Bates, the player he was competing against. First, Bates had injuries throughout the season and only played 105 offensive snaps this year, none of which were at the center. He primarily played at right guard (98 snaps) but a little at left guard (seven snaps). Chicago traded for Bates because of his versatility, while Shelton has spent his career as a center. His specialization as a center probably allows him to be the better player at center. Overall, Shelton had a solid campaign in 2024. Given all of the other issues the Bears need to address on both sides of the ball, not to mention hiring a new head coach, Shelton is a player they need to keep around, at least for next season.
