Another Surprise Is Brewing On The Chicago Bears Offensive Line

One thing that is becoming clear with the new Chicago Bears coaching staff is to expect the unexpected. People went into the off-season with certain expectations about how things might play out on the roster. Once the summer began, it looked like Teven Jenkins would be the starting right tackle and Larry Borom the starting left tackle. Then before OTAs ended, Jenkins had been demoted while Borom was moved to right tackle. A month later, when training camp began, another twist arrived with the signings of Riley Reiff and Michael Schofield. Both veterans were immediately penciled in as likely starters come September. Things kept trending in that direction right up until the Monday after Chicago's preseason opener against Kansas City. That was when fans got treated to a surprise. The most talked-about was Jenkins' shift to right guard.

Not enough noticed the other subplot.

Borom kept getting reps with the first-team offense at right tackle. Now, this could be the Bears trying to give Reiff some time off during practice. He is 33 years old, remember. Then again, it could be because Borom played well against the Chiefs. He didn't allow a single pressure on the quarterback. Offensive line coach Chris Morgan is thrilled with how he's remodeled his body, dropping weight and adding quickness. Now he will start the Thursday game in Seattle against the Seahawks. Again, it might be the coaches being cautious with Reiff, their only experienced tackle. Then again, there is also an undercurrent of belief they're keeping the door open for Borom to state his case for the job. Reiff may have gotten a nice one-year deal from the Bears and insists the team said he'd have a chance to compete for a starting job. However, it doesn't sound like he was promised one.

Chicago Bears remain committed to finding the "best five."

They don't care who it is. Their responsibility is to put the five best blockers in front of Justin Fields. The level of experience doesn't matter. It is what they show in practice and on game tape. Borom has stayed in the mix with the starters throughout camp. Coaches wouldn't be giving him starter reps if they didn't have at least some idea of considering him for the job. They know what they have in Reiff. They want to see if the second-year blocker can show something more. Borom moved between left tackle and right tackle for the Chicago Bears last year. When playing right tackle, he logged a total of 365 pass-blocking snaps. He gave up 27 pressures and three sacks over that span. That isn't too bad for a rookie. Never mind, he was playing at a heavier weight under Juan Castillo, which drew lots of criticism from offensive line experts, including former Bears Tom Thayer and Olin Kreutz.

Based on conditioning and coaching alone, he should be better this year.

He still must prove it. The Seahawks present the perfect challenge. Their pass rush racked up 18 pressures and three sacks against Pittsburgh last week. If Borom can do what he did against the Chiefs to that group, things get interesting.