The Chicago Bears’ offensive line issues are well-documented. And it’s a unit that, after a strong 2018 campaign, faltered last season.
Couple that with veteran Kyle Long’s retirement, and there’s now a vacancy at right guard that the Bears are looking to fill.
They’re hoping that newly-acquired offensive lineman Germain Ifedi is the answer. Chicago signed the former first-round pick, who was a four-year starter with the Seattle Seahawks, to a low-risk, high-reward one-year deal where the hope is he can grow into a long-term starter on the Bears’ offensive line.
While Ifedi has served as a right tackle for the Seahawks over the past three seasons, he does have experience at right guard, which is where he played in his rookie season.
But Ifedi won’t just be handed the starting role. As is the theme for this year for Matt Nagy and the Bears, there will be competition at multiple positions this offseason. Right guard among them.
Ifedi will compete with Alex Bars, Rashaad Coward and presumably a rookie that the Bears could target in the NFL Draft later this month.
The Bears have plenty of issues to fix on offense this offseason, offensive line among them. While finding the starting right guard won’t magically cure the rest of the unit’s struggles, Chicago is banking on the addition of offensive line coach Juan Castillo to right the ship.
