Bears Set Up Center Competition

The signing of Rams free agent Coleman Shelton sets up a possible center competition for the Bears with Ryan Bates.

The Bears now have a center familiar with the type of offense coordinator Shane Waldron wants to run.

They agreed to a one-year deal with former Rams center Coleman Shelton, the starter last year and during 2022 for L.A.

He'll likely be in a competition with newly signed center Ryan Bates, acquired by the Bears from Buffalo in a trade for a fifth-round pick. Shelton has quite a bit more experience at center than Bates, who has been mostly a guard with the Bills. 

The 6-foot-4, 299-pound undrafted free agent had been with the Rams since 2019 and was a backup the first three seasons. 

Waldron was with the Rams as an offensive assistant during Shelton's first two seasons.

Shelton went on injured reserve for four games in 2022 for a high ankle sprain but has started 30 games the last two years, including all of them last year.

Pro Football Focus last season graded Shelton 17th among all starting centers. His strength was run blocking as he was graded 12th overall. He was 28th as a pass blocker out of 36 centers graded, four spots better than Bears free agent offensive lineman Lucas Patrick.

Shelton, who played college ball at Washington, allowed two sacks and committed six penalties last season.

Shelton has played 1,771 snaps at center 209 at rirght guard and 79 at left guard in his carreer. He took over the starting job from Brian Allen after the 2021 season. Bates has played every line position, including 203 plays at center and 1,057 at guard.

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