The OL Depth Chart Discussion

[WindyCity]

OL [8]

Charles Leno
Josh Sitton
Cody Whitehair
Kyle Long
Bobbie Massie

Tom Compton
Eric Kush
Jordan Morgan

Conrelius Edison [PR]
Diegout Joseph [PR]

Hroniss Grasu​


This is actually the position group on offense that I have the most faith in. The interior OL is one of the better units in the league and with Kush they have probably the best true backup on the team. The interior OL should be something that allows the Bears to ease Glennon and Trubisky in. They need to stay healthy, which with Sitton's ankle and Long's shoulder could be asking a lot, which makes the Jordan Morgan pick make more and more sense. Whitehair is a stud and should be a young C that can grow with Trubisky, which is an under rated relationship. If your C is good enough your QB does not need to worry about protection calls or shifting to pick up blitzes.

The Bears OTs are competent. Neither is dominant, but I think Leno can survive on his own in pass pro, which means you can help Massie more in the pass game. The Bears need to be creative with how they protect the OTs. Late last season when they were throwing 50 times a game they often hung the OTs out a little, but who cared if Barkley got hit. Compton is solid depth and at least gives them someone who has started games without looking like a total scrub. This unit should be solid and I think can even withstand a long term injury on the interior OL.

Just for practice logistics you need a full 2nd OL on the team in some capacity so the Bears need to stash 2 players on the PR. They need an OT as Compton is the only other OT on the roster and they need an interior player. Edison showed some flashes last year and still has PR eligibility. Diegot has the size [6'6"] to play OT and can get a year to develop.

I am struggling to find a spot on the team for Grasu. It is super rare for a team to keep 9 active OLmen and Compton is the swing tackle, Kush played well and got extended and Morgan is a draft pick.

 

[Hawkeye OG]

Can we trade Grasu for a 6th? Lol.

 

[dennehy]

Just don't think Morgan is going to be ready. I think he will go to the PS and Grasu will be on the active roster.

 

[Burque]

If Grasu proves to be worth a spot as backup C and backup G does that free up Whitehair to move to tackle in a pinch?

Personally I am 100% locked in on Whitehair and Trubs having a 12 year relationship like Manning and Saturday. That is what I would hope for, but remember that Whitehair wasn't a Center until last year.

 

[WindyCity]

Grasu cannot play OG and what he has shown is that he cannot really play C.

I do not know how you keep a guy as a backup that offers little to no positional versatility.

Also there is a good chance that a 5th round pick does not make it through waivers to the PR. 31 other teams could simply get a free draft pick.

 

[westcoast bear fanatic]

Just don't think Morgan is going to be ready. I think he will go to the PS and Grasu will be on the active roster.

With only 5 draft picks this year I highly doubt that Pace takes the risk of trying to stash Morgan on the PS unless Morgan disappoints this summer.

 

[WindyCity]

I know we want to get some value from Grasu, but Whitehair stole his spot and looks like he could be an All Pro.

I am not moving Whitehair under any circumstance. The relationship between C and QB is too important to shuffle the spot.

 

[westcoast bear fanatic]

I think the Bears carry 9 OL this year. Grasu makes the team if he is recovered from his ACL. I expect them to give Whitehair some snaps at OT during offseason workouts even though he probably starts at Center. I don't think Pace has written off Grasu yet.

 

[didshereallysaythat]

Grasu cannot play OG and what he has shown is that he cannot really play C.

I do not know how you keep a guy as a backup that offers little to no positional versatility.

Also there is a good chance that a 5th round pick does not make it through waivers to the PR. 31 other teams could simply get a free draft pick.

That's what camp is going to show. Has Grasu recovered from his injury and can he play guard as well as center? It's possible he has improved with the added weight and a year's worth of improving technique. If he can't, then he is gone.

 

[dennehy]

Grasu was the starting center until he was injured last year.

Can most teams afford to take a 5th round DII player and put him on their active roster for the entire year? I suppose but I'm not really sure.

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

I know we want to get some value from Grasu, but Whitehair stole his spot and looks like he could be an All Pro.

I am not moving Whitehair under any circumstance. The relationship between C and QB is too important to shuffle the spot.

I have not given up hope on Grasu. He was obviously undersized his rookie year but showed improvement towards the end of the year. He was having a good training camp before he got injured last year. Cutler was just raving about him. I know this is a long shot... but if (big if) he comes back and plays at a high level I could see Whitehair and Long getting bumped over to the right each. Here's a quote from Pace last year after Grasu got injured that sort of hints at that:

“I view Hroniss more as a center-only," Pace said. "If he comes back, that’d be the position he’s competing for. If Hroniss is playing like a solid NFL starting center and gets to that level, which I think he can, that’s a good problem. We have flexibility with other guys. Cody Whitehair is a flexible guy and Kyle [Long] is too. We’ll see how it shakes out.”

Has Whitehair ever played RT? I know he was a LT in college.

 

[Ares]

Gotta wonder if they don't try Grasu at C and Whitehair at G in camp... or keep Grasu assuming that might need to happen during the season if Long or Sitton go down.

if nothing else if Grasu can slide in to C then Whitehair moves to RG and Long to RT or LT if we lose a tackle.

EDIT: And I am going off them intending to use Grasu at C last year and having to pivot to Whitehair.... no telling if Grasu can show enough to make it possible.

 

[Teddy KGB]

Grasu cannot play OG and what he has shown is that he cannot really play C.

I do not know how you keep a guy as a backup that offers little to no positional versatility.

Also there is a good chance that a 5th round pick does not make it through waivers to the PR. 31 other teams could simply get a free draft pick.

This. Grasu just isn't an NFL player. He likely will be among the first camp cuts.

 

[Teddy KGB]

I know we want to get some value from Grasu, but Whitehair stole his spot and looks like he could be an All Pro.

I am not moving Whitehair under any circumstance. The relationship between C and QB is too important to shuffle the spot.

Agreed. People need to understand its just as insane to move Whitehair as it would be to move Kyle Long. Whitehair is the center for the next 8-15 years barring injury. Grasu never showed anything sadly, and while I feel bad for the kid, its a rough league and its clear he doesn't belong. I wish him well.

 

[SugarWalls]

I agree that I feel pretty comfortable with this group, grasu developing into a starter is the least of my worries though. That line is a Leno injury away from a huge issue. I realize that can be said of most teams losing their starting left tackle.

I really didn't like long at LT. maybe whitehair could make the transition to tackle if Grasu turns out to be a player, but it seems a little asinine to make that switch when whitehair played so well last year as a rookie.

 

[Teddy KGB]

Grasu was the starting center until he was injured last year.

Can most teams afford to take a 5th round DII player and put him on their active roster for the entire year? I suppose but I'm not really sure.

Grasu was also getting shoved around worse than Olin Kreutz on 2 bad knees at the end of his career and that's saying something. Grasu is NOT NFL timbre.

 

[Teddy KGB]

I agree that I feel pretty comfortable with this group, grasu developing into a starter is the least of my worries though. That line is a Leno injury away from a huge issue. I realize that can be said of most teams losing their starting left tackle.

I really didn't like long at LT. maybe whitehair could make the transition to tackle if Grasu turns out to be a player, but it seems a little asinine to make that switch when whitehair played so well last year as a rookie.

People need to stop getting cute with the lineup. Whitehair is our PERMANENT center. Long is our PERMANENT RG. Those are 2 positions that, barring injury, you don't need to worry about - leave them at that.

Sitton is very good at LG, but he is getting older, so bringing on Morgan and hoping to develop him into a suitable replacement for Sitton eventually is not a bad plan.

I would not be surprised to see the tackle positions addressed next year 1-2 in the draft.

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

Grasu was also getting shoved around worse than Olin Kreutz on 2 bad knees at the end of his career and that's saying something. Grasu is NOT NFL timbre.

You obviously watched only his first game and stopped paying attention. He was battling by the end of the season and came back at 310 up from 290 going into his second season. I don't know if he'll be able to come back from injury but I think you're overly down on him.

 

[SugarWalls]

People need to stop getting cute with the lineup. Whitehair is our PERMANENT center. Long is our PERMANENT RG. Those are 2 positions that, barring injury, you don't need to worry about - leave them at that.

Sitton is very good at LG, but he is getting older, so bringing on Morgan and hoping to develop him into a suitable replacement for Sitton eventually is not a bad plan.

I would not be surprised to see the tackle positions addressed next year 1-2 in the draft.

And I agree with this.... the question is what in the hell do you if Leno gets hurt????? I can see them making it work if a guard goes down, but if Leno goes down....

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

People need to stop getting cute with the lineup. Whitehair is our PERMANENT center. Long is our PERMANENT RG. Those are 2 positions that, barring injury, you don't need to worry about - leave them at that.

Sitton is very good at LG, but he is getting older, so bringing on Morgan and hoping to develop him into a suitable replacement for Sitton eventually is not a bad plan.

I would not be surprised to see the tackle positions addressed next year 1-2 in the draft.

Nothing is permanent in the NFL. You should know that.

I do agree with trying to be cute. Long and Whitehair are probably best served where they are. But I'm also considering alternatives just as plan B's and C's.