The Chicago Bears' offensive line has been the story of the season on both the local and national levels. They dominated an excellent Philadelphia Eagles defensive line on Black Friday, racking up 281 yards rushing. Most of the discussion has centered on the ageless Joe Thuney, still in All-Pro form, the resurgence of Jonah Jackson, and the development of young tackle Darnell Wright. Amidst all of that, not nearly enough people have taken notice of just how excellent center Drew Dalman has been.
When the Bears signed him as a free agent in March, his reputation was well-established. Dalman was viewed as a very good run blocker who was adequate in pass protection. For somebody like Ben Johnson, who loved running the ball, that was fine. However, something unexpected has been happening over the past two months. Dalman gave up 13 pressures in his first five games this season. In the seven games since, he has allowed three. How in the world did the Bears manage that?
Part of it is Dalman's natural improvement, but another part has been the creative ways Johnson and offensive line coach Dan Roushar have discovered how to use him. One such tactic is called the Center Fallback.
Drew Dalman is putting his athleticism to great use.
The primary goal behind a Center Fallback maneuver is to create a moving pocket. That changes the launch point, preventing the opposing defense from getting a clean pass rush look. For it to work, you need an athletic center with good awareness because he must peel away from his original spot, spin around, and pick off the unblocked edge rusher. The Bears recognized early on that Drew Dalman was perfect for this. He has great mobility and has consistently demonstrated a keen sense of space since entering the NFL.
This strategy has allowed the Bears to hide their center's primary weakness, which is his anchor in pass protection. When defenders are given a direct path to the quarterback, they're often able to power through Dalman. By taking that option away, it becomes that much harder to solve the veteran center. This serves as a crucial reminder of how effective coaching can unlock a player's full potential. Dalman should be in Pro Bowl conversations. He's been that good.
Either way, it's becoming clear that signing him was one of the best decisions the Bears made this past offseason.
