Here's Why The Bears Won't Be Making Changes At Offensive Tackle

Nobody is saying the Chicago Bears have an elite pair of offensive tackles. Then again most other NFL teams can say the same. In fact a number of those who made the playoffs can say. Including the mighty New England Patriots who set a Super Bowl passing record with Nate Solder and Marcus Cannon on the edge. Neither has ever been to a Pro Bowl in their careers. Yet when some people talk it's almost as if Chicago has the absolute worst edge protectors in existence. Sure, Charles Leno and Bobby Massie wouldn't be the first choices in a total league re-draft but they'd be considered solid mid-round picks an offense can function with. How can one know that? Simple. The Bears already did it. In 2016. The numbers clearly indicate that this offense is capable of being productive if they get the quarterback position straightened out. That's with Leno and Massie remaining the starters. No jokes. No misdirections. Simple facts.

SPARCE OPTIONS

A buzz has started growing since the cuts around the league began to come in. Moves in anticipation of NFL free agency which begins March 9th. There are plenty of veteran left tackles joining that swelling pool, including a couple former Pro Bowlers. Needless to say its gotten some Bears fans to start wondering if it's worth taking the risk on them.

One can understand why. Ryan Clady and Branden Albert are former Pro Bowlers. At one point in time they were considered the best at their position. Kelvin Beachum was rated as one of the top pass protecting left tackles in the NFL from 2014 through 2015. Maybe, just maybe the Bears could pump some life into them and reignite their top level play.

GOOD-BUT-NOT-GREAT IS GOOD ENOUGH

Only that doesn't fall in line with reality. According to Pro Football Focus, none of those three players were anywhere near as effective as Leno and Massie were in 2016.

• Charles Leno - 70.8 rating
• Bobby Massie - 69.9 rating
• Ryan Clady - 47.2 rating
• Kelvin Beachum - 44.3 rating
• Branden Albert - 42.2 rating

Not only did the Bears block for the second-leading rusher in the NFL last season in Jordan Howard, they also allowed just 28 sacks. Good enough for seventh-best in the league. Whether people want to admit it or not, none of that happens without Leno and Massie on the edges. They may not have been great but they were good enough. [video width="854" height="480" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Confidential-Charles-Leno-Jr.mp4"][/video] [video width="854" height="480" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/OLP-Player-Spotlight-Bobby-Massie.mp4"][/video] Besides it's not like the Bears have a wealth of options at their disposal. Even with this recent slew of releases, the tackle market in free agency is beyond thing. The NFL draft isn't much better either with only one name being viewed as a slam dunk first rounder, and he has a hip issue. Don't forget that Leno is 25-years old and Massie is 27. The Bears can afford to be patient about this. To say nothing of the fact that both of those men still have room to grow and get better as players. It's a good starting five that isn't in frantic need of an upgrade. People must stop acting like it's some sort of clear and present danger.