With weeks to go before training camp, most of the starting positions on the Chicago Bears offense are already locked up. However, head coach Matt Eberflus confirmed the Bears still have two positions to sort out before the start of the season.
The Bears named Caleb Williams as the QB1 before rookie minicamp. Williams is off to a roller coaster start in practice, but he is confident that the Bears staff believes in him. D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze are set at wide receiver. Cole Kmet has TE1, and D’Andre Swift will be the lead back.
The Chicago Bears have questions on the OL, Nate Davis
The offensive line situation is a little more cloudy. Darnell Wright will start at right tackle, and Braxton Jones will anchor the left side. Eberflus said Wednesday he expects Nate Davis to be the starter at right guard this season. Teven Jenkins would handle the left guard duties.
That leaves the center job open.
Ryan Bates and Coleman Shelton have taken starting center reps
As previously discussed on CCS last week, Ryan Bates, who the Bears traded a fifth-round pick for this offseason, took first-team reps during the first week of voluntary OTAs. Coleman Shelton was rotated in last week to get starting reps at center.
Matt Eberflus explains where the offensive line is at
Eberflus was asked who the starters would be on the interior offensive line. Eberflus confirmed there would be a center competition, although he stressed there could be a change at right guard.
“Don’t know yet. I really don’t know. We’ll see. We’ll see how it goes, Eberflus said. “I’m just thinking through my head a bunch of multiple combinations. I really don’t know exactly what that would look like. Sure, we had Bates [at right guard]. He’s played there. Shelton has played at center, of course. Davis has played [right guard].
“[Jenkins] has been on the other side. [Matt] Pryor has been in and been out. The versatility there has certainly been helpful. Ryan [Poles] did a really good job of having those pieces in there so we don’t like last year or prior years, you know, a guy goes down, and we’re like, ‘Oh, what are we going to do?’ At least we have that flexibility now at the O-line position.”
Bates could win one of two starting roles before Week 1. He could take Shelton’s starting center spot or replace Davis at right guard.
The Bears are taking a risk by waiting to decide on their starting center for the upcoming season. Having stability at center is usually viewed as a critical component for a rookie quarterback’s development. The center will aid Caleb Williams in learning how to set up pre-snap protections.
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