Getty Offensive guard Logan Stenberg, formerly of the Detroit Lions, signed with the Chicago Bears on Friday, August 11, 2023.
The Chicago Bears made a couple of alterations to the offensive roster Friday, August 11, waiving a wide receiver and adding a former Detroit Lions offensive lineman.
Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Chicago reported the moves via Twitter.
The Bears have waived WR Aron Cruickshank and claimed OL Logan Stenberg off waivers. Stenberg was just released by the Lions.
“The Bears have waived WR Aron Cruickshank and claimed OL Logan Stenberg off waivers,” Schrock tweeted. “Stenberg was just released by the Lions.”
Logan Stenberg Has More NFL Experience, Better Chance to Make Bears’ Roster than Did Cruickshank
GettyOffensive guard Logan Stenberg, formerly of the Detroit Lions, plays during an NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams in October 2021.
Cruickshank signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent out of Rutgers University this offseason. The team’s decision to cut him comes just one day before Chicago’s first preseason game of the summer against the Tennessee Titans.
The wideout played five years of college football, first at the University of Wisconsin from 2018-19 before joining Rutgers for his final three campaigns. Cruickshank finished his collegiate career with 103 receptions for 908 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed the ball 40 times for 360 yards and three scores, per Football Reference. Cruickshank was something of a utility man at the college level, where he also amassed 107 kick returns and 21 punt returns for his career.
Stenberg is a vastly more experienced NFL player than Cruickshank, having appeared in 25 regular season games, including four starts, for the Lions over the past three seasons.
The offensive guard’s role increased dramatically in 2022, when he saw the field for 228 offensive snaps and 73 snaps on special teams, per Pro Football Reference. Prior to last season, Stenberg had played just four snaps on offensive and logged only 26 snaps on special teams.
However, Stenberg’s foray into starting in the NFL wasn’t particularly successful, as he earned an overall player grade of just 39.3 from Pro Football Focus. PFF’s evaluation of Stenberg included an abysmal pass-blocking grade of just 15.0, though the former Lions guard was only a little below-average as a run blocker in 2022 with a grade in that category of 57.2.
Bears Must be Better Along Offensive Line to Challenge in NFC North Division
GettyGeneral manager Ryan Poles of the Chicago Bears.
Stenberg isn’t the answer to a much-improved Bears offensive line in 2023, though he could play a supporting role on a group that is rebuilding.
Bill Barnwell of ESPN predicted on the August 10 edition of The Bill Barnwell Show podcast that the Green Bay Packers will potentially field four Pro-Bowl offensive linemen to start the upcoming season. Beyond that, he noted that the Lions also have a high-quality group of players across their unit.
“The Packers have the potential to have four really above-average, maybe even Pro Bowl-caliber, starters if things break right. You can’t be sure they’re going to stay healthy, but I do think that’s a difference-maker,” Barnwell said. “Of course, the Lions have a great offensive line as well. The [Minnesota] Vikings, mmmm, not so sure. I mean, the tackles I think are good but interior maybe not as much. And the Bears are a work in progress. So that could be a difference-maker in a division where it feels like things are so close.”