The offensive line for the Bears could have a very different look Sunday against New England.
In fact, it could be so different there is no way to really project it at this time, and it's even possible it would be an area they would seek to bolster via trade.
It all depends on health of their players who were injured in the last two weeks. Most of the trade speculation involving the Bears has been about trading away Khalil Herbert or guard Nate Davis for a draft pick but the injuries might change things.
In a way, they're fortunate to have needs due to injuries now instead of next week after the deadline has passed.
Darnell Wright's knee injury is an MCL sprain according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, although there has been no official or unofficial word on its severity or the MRI result from test performed on Monday. An MCL sprain could cost them Wright for the rest of this month, depending on its severity.
They were without left tackle Braxton Jones last game due to a knee injury and await his return. His injury was severe enough to keep him out of practice all week, so they could need to replace him again.
Larry Borom played left tackle in his first action of the season and graded out worse according to Pro Football Focus than any o the offensive linemen who had at least 14 plays. His run blocking received the worst grade of any Bear player regardless of position (32.4).
Borom has experience but has never been a highly grade blocker per PFF and Sunday's start was his first since Oct. 29 of 2023.
Matt Pryor give the Bears options at tackle or guard. He was the highest graded run and pass blocker for them at right guard last week.
They could keep Pryor at right guard, but this would mean using Borom and Jake Curhan at the tackle positions. Curhan finished the game at righ tackle. Curhan is no rookie. This is his fourth season, all in Shane Waldron's offense. The first three were in Seattle and he has played 30 games with nine starts.
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They could also put Pryor at one of the tackle positions and activate guard Ryan Bates from injured reserve this week. Or the other option would be to use Nate Davis at right guard, but with the trade deadline coming on Tuesday, it's possible Davis would be traded or cut.
Left guard Teven Jenkins got through the game without leaving due to an injury. He was questionable to play with a knee injury Sunday but made it through.
Either way, the Bears look certain to undergo their third starting offensive line change this season after they had 19 changes the two seasons prior.
It’s the kind of thing that can lead to some of the problems the offense has experienced this season.
“Offensively as a whole group we have to make sure that we don’t take negatives to put us behind the stick –that could be by penalty or could be by sack or could be a TFL,” Eberflus said. “The percentage of you scoring there across the league–it diminishes. Those things have to get taken care of first. That is a whole team thing–in terms of offensive team. That’s No. 1."
The problem with finding a tackle via trade at the deadline is they're so highly valued and the supply is so limited. The Vikings acquired Cam Robinson from Jacksonville and he was easily the best name mentioned for the trade market. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported Jacksonville two-time Pro Bowl guard Brandon Scherff is possibly the biggest offensive line name on the trading block.
If they sought help in a trade at any position, it might be defensive tackle and not defensive end, like so much speculation has centered around. Sunday's 213-yard rushing game by the Cardinals was only part of the Bears run-stopping problems this year.
"We need to do a better job there in terms of the overall run defense and limiting those explosives as we go forward," Eberflus said Monday.
If defensive tackle Andrew Billings' pectoral injury is a season ender, they'd be down not only one of their best run defenders but also a player who has ranked in the top five at pass rush win rate among defensive tackle.
Their backups at defensive tackle are Zacch Pickens, Byron Cowart and Chris Williams.
Last week Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the Tennessee Titans had been contacted by teams about two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, but were told he's not being traded. ESPN's Aaron Schatz speculated a run-stuffing defensive tackle would be a need for the Bears even before the injury to Billings.
Other interior defensive players speculated to be trade material include Browns defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell. Both Russini of The Athletic and ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Miami has had trade inquiries about Campbell, the 6-foot-8, 308-pounder who is 38 years old but has started every game.
