Getty Sam Mustipher and Larry Borom are two Bears O-linemen who could be lining up at different spots in 2022.
The Chicago Bears are currently in the process of figuring out their offensive line for the 2022 season, and head coach Matt Eberflus confirmed that the recent positional switch of second-year O-linemen Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom is a “significant” one.
The team added former Green Bay Packers role player Lucas Patrick to be the unit’s new center, and veteran Cody Whitehair is expected to hold down the left guard spot once again, but the other three spots remain a bit of a mystery.
Last season, Borom, a fifth-round selection out of Missouri, took the majority of his snaps (546) at right tackle, playing in 10 games and starting eight. Jenkins, a second-rounder out of Oklahoma State, had a bit of a slower start to his rookie campaign. He began the 2021 season on injured reserve after having back surgery in August. Jenkins wound up playing 157 snaps at left tackle, appearing in six games and starting two.
When Chicago began its voluntary veteran minicamp on April 19, the team switched it up, as Borom lined up at left tackle, while Jenkins moved to the right side — a position he also played in college. While it’s not a guarantee both will be lining up at those positions when the regular season rolls around, it’s certainly something to monitor moving forward.
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Bears Trying to Figure Out Best Fits for O-Linemen
After seeing both Jenkins and Borom lining up at different positions during the team’s first minicamp practice, the media asked the new Bears coach about it, and he said the team is exploring which areas on the line suit each player best.
“We’re looking at a lot of things right now,” Eberflus said on April 19. “So you might see guys at a lot of different spots. So a guy could be playing X-receiver or Z-receiver or U-tight end or Y-tight end, left defensive end, right defensive end. We’re going to play with a lot of different combinations right now because we’re just trying to figure out what guys do and what they do best.”
The Bears coach also noted Borom and Jenkins could “flip during OTAs. They could flip sides. So we’re just looking to see what guys do best.”
When asked about it again the next day, Eberflus noted the switch had significance.
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Eberflus: ‘That’s Significant for Everybody’
After both Jenkins and Borom lined up on the right and left again at the team’s April 20 practice, Eberflus was asked whether the position switch was a significant one.
“That’s significant for everybody,” Eberflus responded. “If you’re getting those first lineup spots in terms of the reps, I think that’s really good. … Anybody that’s in that position is getting quality reps for sure. Those guys are working day to day.”
Where this leaves last year’s starting center Sam Mustipher is anyone’s guess. Mustipher lined up at right guard during minicamp, a spot vacated by free agent James Daniels, who signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Still, Mustipher struggled in 2021, allowing 28 pressures, three QB hits, and a sack while also getting flagged five times. It’s possible he’ll start at RG, but it’s also likely the Bears will address the offensive line in the upcoming draft, so he could wind up as a reserve.
Recent signing Julie’n Davenport is a likely backup swing tackle, and Dakota Dozier, another free agent addition, should provide depth at guard.
The draft kicks off on April 28, and what the Bears do with their six selections will be very telling — and could also have major implications for several of the team’s current young offensive linemen.
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