Charles Leno never gets enough credit for what he's become. Here's a reminder. The kid was drafted in the seventh round by the Chicago Bears back in 2014. That alone should've made him a bust, being a pick of former GM Phil Emery. Instead the young man fought hard and worked his way into the starting lineup. He's now been their left tackle for three seasons without missing a single game.
The amount of hard work, dedication, and tenacity that must've taken given all the upheaval on this roster over that span is a testament to Leno the man and the player. He wants to get better. Otherwise, he would've been gone long ago. This drive has seen him make steady improvement each year but it still feels like he's not at his peak yet.
That was why the hiring of new line coach Harry Hiestand by the Bears was such a big move. He's considered one of the best in football at what he does. For all the talk about what he can do for guys like Cody Whitehair and rookie James Daniels, people aren't recognizing how good he might end up being for Leno.
The left tackle himself already sees it.
Charles Leno giddy about the chance to work with Hiestand
Leno along with several other players took time to appear at the Bears Care Gala. There he covered a number of topics but his emotions were clearly evident when the subject of Hiestand came up.To understand the value of Hiestand, one merely has to look at what happened after he left. In 2009, his final year the Bears allowed 35 sacks. In 2010 when he was gone they allowed 56. It took them four years to finally recover from his loss. Not many position coaches leave that kind of legacy behind them. Leno for one is happy to have him back. Now the left tackle will likely find out just how good he can become.
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