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Year 2 will be a huge one for Chicago Bears offensive linemen Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom.
Both were selected by the former regime last year, and both will need to impress new general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus if they want to remain part of the team’s long-term plans.
The Bears switched it up this year, putting Borom at left tackle and Jenkins at right tackle when each played on the opposite side last year. It remains to be seen how the young O-linemen adapt and respond, but one analyst thinks Poles and company would be best served by adding a five-time Pro Bowl veteran to the mix via free agency.
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PFF Names Bears Best Fit for OL Duane Brown
Ben Linsey of Pro Football Focus thinks the 36-year-old Brown would make a lot of sense for the Bears, naming Chicago the best landing spot for the veteran OL. Here’s his logic:
“Brown isn’t a long-term solution at the position, but he can step in as a starting left tackle Justin Fields and the rest of this offense can have confidence in. Brown’s 71.5 PFF grade in 2021 was his lowest since his rookie season in 2008, but it was still a middle-of-the-pack mark among qualifiers at the position. Even if he doesn’t bounce back in 2022, that represents an upgrade at a key position for the Bears.”
In 965 snaps at left tackle last season, Brown allowed 33 total pressures, eight sacks and three QB hits, per PFF. In 2020, he earned an 87.3 overall mark, giving up 34 total pressures, five QB hits and two sacks in 1,048 snaps.
He has also been incredibly durable, playing 14 seasons in the NFL while never missing more than six games in a single season.
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Poles Has Said Bears Aren’t Done in Free Agency
Jenkins will be a key player to monitor this coming season. The Bears moved up to draft him in the second round last year, but a back injury that required surgery sidelined him for most of his rookie campaign, and he struggled when he saw action later in the season.
He surrendered 11 pressures, two QB hits and two sacks on 160 snaps last year, while also getting flagged seven times, according to Pro Football Focus. He did improve as the season progressed, however, and he has the kind of attitude and demeanor Poles covets on the line.
Borom has a lot to prove, as well. In 546 snaps at right tackle, Borom gave up 32 pressures, four QB hits and five sacks, getting flagged four times.
It’s possible Chicago rolls with both young linemen this coming season — but based on his recent comments, it’s equally possible the team adds a veteran like Brown, who is still available and seems like an obvious choice at this point.
The Bears GM was asked about whether his team will be addressing any more needs in free agency, and Poles kept the door wide open.
“We’re never done,” Poles said on the Mully & Haugh Show on May 6. “This front office is going to be relentless with talent. We’re not going to rule anything out.”
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