CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bears' offensive line is bordering on disaster.
For all the hand wringing over the quarterback and Matt Nagy’s play calling, the Bears' core issues begin in the trenches. A group that was not viewed favorably has been beset by injuries and COVID-19.
The Bears enter Week 9 ranked 31st in rushing yards per game (85.6), 29th in yards per rush (3.8) and 32nd in yards per rush before contract (2.1), according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Under offensive line coach Juan Castillo, the Bears have allowed 20 sacks -- tied for 9th most in the NFL. Bears quarterbacks have faced pressure on 28.8% of their dropbacks, which ranks 20th in the NFL, and Chicago ranks 21st in pass block win rate (55%) and 18th in rush block win rate (69.3%).
To make matters worse, on Tuesday -- the same day the NFL trade deadline failed to provide any offensive line relief -- the Bears made a flurry of difficult internal moves.
The Bears announced that starting right tackle Bobby Massie ($6.9 million base salary in 2020) was headed to injured reserve with a knee problem that will keep him out a minimum three weeks. Massie played just four snaps against the Saints last week before he left the game.
Fifth-year veteran Jason Spriggs, who took over for Massie and played 65 snaps at right tackle, was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and for all intent and purposes is out for Sunday’s game at Tennessee.
Chicago’s starting right guard, Germain Ifedi, also is on the reserve/COVID-19 list because of close contact with Spriggs, although the Bears have yet to rule out Ifedi for the Titans game.
The Bears are hopeful starting center Cody Whitehair can return from a calf injury, but Whitehair remains day-to-day and was inactive in Week 8.
To add further insult to injury, former undrafted free agent Sam Mustipher, who started in place against New Orleans for Whitehair, got banged up in last week’s overtime loss.
The Bears already have been without starting left guard James Daniels, who is done for the year with a torn pectoral muscle.
The best-case scenario? Whitehair and Ifedi are cleared to play on Sunday, and the Bears are down just two Week 1 starters (Massie and Daniels).
The worst-case scenario? The Bears are without four Week 1 offensive starters when they travel to Nashville.
Circumstances already forced Chicago to play many reserve offensive linemen, including Mustipher, Spriggs, Rashaad Coward and Alex Bars. If things continue as they have been going, rookie seventh-round picks Arlington Hambright and Lachavious Simmons might soon be called into service, too. Simmons recently joined Hambright on the active roster after the Bears elevated Simmons off the practice squad on Tuesday.
Nagy might need a scorecard to keep it straight.
“I would say this, whether it’s the offense or the defense, a lot of things start up front,” Nagy said on a Zoom call. “The players know it, our coaches know it. When you have a little bit of a lack of consistency, and I’m talking more health-wise, you’ve got different guys up there on that front line, it can become more difficult. We’ve got guys that there’s some guys in there that don’t have a whole lot of experience. And trying to find out how do we play well together and how do we protect and scat protection when there’s only five of us, and are we making the right calls.
“So they’re learning here. We know that. But at the same time, we hold them accountable, we hold our coaches accountable that it does start there. Whether it’s in the run game or whether it’s in pass pro, if it gets leaky at all, if there’s any leakage, meaning that guys are coming through and the timing’s not right, it can be hard.”