Bear Digest

Bears 2024 Training Camp Preview: Ending Center-Guard Shuffle

Analysis: If the Bears could retain the same inside core of their offensive line for a given period, it might make a huge difference after they have altered it so often for two years.

Gene Chamberlain

New Bears center candidate Ryan Bates hasn't played much since 2022, when he started mostly as a right guard and had to block Al-Quadin Muhammad here.
New Bears center candidate Ryan Bates hasn't played much since 2022, when he started mostly as a right guard and had to block Al-Quadin Muhammad here. / Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

Contemplating the perpetual revolving door situation with the interior of his offensive line, Bears coach Matt Eberflus felt encouraged by players' adaptability  during offseason work.

"The versatility there has certainly been helpful," Eberflus said.

If there's one thing they've known they need from the first two seasons under Eberflus, it's offensive linemen to play more than one position. Healthy blockers would be the ideal situation.

"At least we have that flexibility at the O-line position," Eberflus said.

The reason they know this is the offseason has been a lot like last season and the year before in terms of missing starters or swapping them out.

The center battle between Ryan Bates and Coleman Shelton, and right guard Nate Davis' absence through almost all of offseason created more instability.

In 2022, they had 14 changes to starting interior offensive line positions. In 2023, they had 12.

The resulting lack of continuity couldn't have helped their blocking cause. The tackle position basically had no more than one change each year but the two guards and center shuttled regularly either due to injuries or even benchings.

While many teams go into the season with centers leading the line forward, the Bears aren't sure if their center is former Rams starter Shelton or former Bills backup guard and center Bates. 

"We feel really good about where we're at right now," line coach Chris Morgan said. "We think we've got two guys that are really good football players, really good teammates, really good leaders."

Both played some with starters in the offseason, although at sessions when the Bears allowed media to attend it was Bates getting more of the first-team looks for what that's worth.

At one point, Bates moved to play right guard while Shelton played center with starters. With Davis missing almost all of the offseason on-field work with an apparent injury, this was necessary.

Shelton started all last year for the Rams while Bates barely got onto the field last year as a center. He hasn't played much since 2022, when he started at guard in Buffalo.

THE PROBLEM WITH ONE INSIDER'S TAKE ON CALEB WILLIAMS CONTRACT SITUATION

TICKETS ARE THERE AND THEN VANISH QUICKLY FOR BEARS TRAINING CAMP

BEARS 2024 TRAINING CAMP PREVIEW: GIVING MONTEZ SWEAT SOME HELP

They actually used 6-foot-7, 332-pound former Colts/Eagles/49ers tackle and guard Matt Pryor at right guard for more of the offseason plays witnessed by media as they sought to determine which center would be better as starter, then occasionally had Bates at right guard. Pryor has 24 starts in five seasons. He started at left tackle, right tackle, left guard and right guard, and in 2022 with the Colts had four starts at right guard, four at left tackle and one at right tackle, before serving as a 49ers backup last year.

Eberflus hasn't demoted Davis for missing out in the offseason. Asked at minicamp about Davis starting, he said: "He has been our starter, right? So I expect him to be in there."

It would solve a great deal of guessing and trying to learn how the lineman playing next to them handles assignments, if only they could keep the same people on the field for an extended period rather than making 26 switches at three line spots the way they have with starters on the interior over the last two seasons.

"Do you want to move guys around?" Morgan said. "No, of course not, but you (media) know things happen and it's just a lot. It's really good flexibility when guys are smart enough, athletic enough, big enough, strong enough, good enough to play a couple of spots."

Letting them play one spot on the line's interior all year is a luxury the Bears never seem to be able to realize.

Bears Starting Offensive Line Switches

Guards and Center

2023

  • Game 2) Ja'Tyre Carter for RG Nate Davis
  • Game 4) Davis for RG Carter
  • Game 6) Teven Jenkins for LG Cody Whitehair; Whitehair for C Lucas Patrick
  • Game 7) Whitehair for LG Jenkins; Jenkins for RG Davis; Patrick for C Whitehair
  • Game 11) Jenkins for LG Whitehair; Davis for RG Jenkins
  • Game 15) Whitehair for LG Jenkins
  • Game 16) Jenkins for LG Whitehair
  • Game 17) Dan Feeney for C Patrick

2022

  • Game 3) Patrick for RG Jenkins
  • Game 5) Patrick for LG Whitehair, Jenkins for RG Patrick
  • Game 7) Michael Schofield III for LG Patrick; Patrick for C Sam Mustipher
  • Game 8) Mustipher for C Patrick
  • Game 9) Whitehair for LG Schofield III
  • Game 10) Schofield for RG Jenkins
  • Game 11) Jenkins for RG Schofield 
  • Game 15) Schofield for RG Jenkins; Larry Borom for LG Whitehair
  • Game 16) Jenkins for RG Schofield; Whitehair for LG Borom
  • Game 17) Borom for RG Jenkins

Bears Interior Offensive Line Outlook

Starters: No. 76 LG Teven Jenkins, No. 71 C Ryan Bates or No. 65 Coleman Shelton, No. 64 RG Nate Davis

Backups: No. 79 G/T Matt Pryor, No. 69 G Ja'Tyre Carter

Roster Hopefuls: No. 63 G/T Jerome Carvin, No. 68 C Doug Kramer, No. 60 G Bill Murray

Strengths: Depth and versatility rate very high after they were forced to use so many players at different starting spots for two years. Mobility is high after their emphasis to block the wide zone for two seasons. Other strengths are yet to be explored, as are weaknesses. It's an interior line in transition again because a new offensive coordinator could mean a new emphasis on blocking schemes, requiring different types of players. This much is not clear yet.

Weaknesses: Size. This isn't the biggest line as it was built to move. Guards and centers average 310 pounds if Pryor is included with the guards. This wouldn't be an issue but more inside zone or gap blocking can mean they need some more size. Jenkins is their biggest guard at 321. Another weakness has been health. When you can't avoid injury, it helps no one. Injuries happen but Bears linemen have been getting hurt at a high rate. They blocked the run well,  however, they did it with a dual running threat in the backfield. This isn't as great now. Are they still a strong run-blocking team? And how are they at blocking for a pocket passer? The Bears gave up 50 or more sacks each of the last three seasons. Some of this could be the result of a scrambling quarterback holding the ball too long.

READ ALSO:

PROJECTING CALEB WILLIAMS' ROOKIE NUMBERS

TRACKING THE PROGRESS OF BEARS ROOKIE CLASS

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

Published
Gene Chamberlain

GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.