Commentary: Bears offensive line in need of a shakeup |
Two games into the 2024 NFL season, there are already plenty of frustrations surrounding the Bears' offensive line. A big reason for that stems from Sunday, when Caleb Williams was on his back nearly as much as his feet. For a team that has invested so many weapons around their franchise guy, they have done a horrible job putting guys in front of him to keep him protected.
While some guys are not the problem as they have played well or are young enough to fix things, you do have other guys who have played so badly that they are becoming a massive liability. Nate Davis is the one that comes to mind when it comes to poor play, as he gives off the vibe that he has no interest in playing here. Whether that is true or not is something we will never know, but Davis did miss a ton of time this summer with an injury and hasn't looked good since the season started. Could that be a lingering effect from his injury and not being 100%? Perhaps, but the Bears don't seem to be concerned enough to make a change, which they should do. It's very rare that teams get together on trades this early in the season, but there was ever a time to get an early deal done; now would be the time, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are an option for the Bears as they are being linked to one of their Offensive Linemen. 32-year-old Brandon Scherff is the one they are being linked to, as he is in the final year of his contract before hitting free agency. If Chicago had more depth and more in-house options, this wouldn't be an issue, but given their current position, a change needs to be made, and going outside the organization may be the only way. Scherff is under contract through the end of February, but with the Jaguars looking as bad as they have thus far, perhaps they should start unloading some of their expiring deals. Should that happen, Scherff is someone the Bears should target, as a five-time pro bowler doesn't grow on trees. Teven Jenkins is also in the final year of his rookie deal this season, and Poles has been adamant that signing him to a long-term extension is one of the offseason goals. Scherff would keep the Bears from doing that, and it would help the Bears this season and potentially next season also. Adding a guy like Scherff would be a wise investment, even if it is for only half the season. He could come in now and start right away, and he is also young enough that the Bears could bring him back on a multi-year deal. If anything, this guy can keep Williams upright, which is the ultimate goal for everyone in the Bears organization. Scherff has been in the league for 10 years, starting at RG every season. Oddly enough, that is the position Davis plays, which happens to be the biggest problem on the Bears' offensive Line right now. With playing in the final year of his 49.5 million dollar deal, it makes sense for Jacksonville to unload some of their higher-paid players, and that alone is enough for the Bears to kick the tires. This also makes sense from the Bears' perspective, as he offers them a short-term insurance policy should they be unable to bring back Jenkins on a long-term deal. Although Davis is in the middle of a three-year deal, there is a buyout in his contract that will only cost the Bears two million dollars. That is a no-brainer when you look at how he has played this season, as it is one of those addition-by-subtraction moves. As much as a deal like this makes sense for both sides, the NFL season is only two weeks old, and a move like this gives fans the impression that you are panicking. Knowing how Poles does things, look for him to watch things closely over the next few weeks to see how things unfold before deciding to make a move or not.
