Seems Bears' Plans For Kiran Amegadjie Have Radically Changed

When training camp began in July, the Chicago Bears had a three-man race planned for left tackle. It would be Braxton Jones against two recent draft picks: Kiran Amegadjie and Ozzy Trapilo. Amegadjie never had much chance last season as he missed camp with a quad injury. This was his chance to show everybody why the team took a chance on him in the 3rd round. Unfortunately, another injury tripped him up as he built some steam. By the time he returned, the landscape had changed.

Trapilo moved back to right tackle, and Theo Benedet had become the primary competition for Jones. Amegadjie returned to practice, but any momentum he had was gone. It got to a point where some wondered if the Bears might cut him. They didn't. Still, nobody was sure what his purpose would be on the roster since Trapilo looked like the favorite for the swing tackle spot. GM Ryan Poles provided an answer to that question on Tuesday, and it wasn't the one many people expected.

Moving Kiran Amegadjie inside says a lot about how coaches view him.

While a tremendous athlete for his size, there were frequent instances where he struggled with handling speed on the edge. Ben Johnson and his staff may feel that keeping him at tackle exposes too many weaknesses. On the other hand, Kiran Amegadjie has great size and lots of power. Those can be big assets on the interior. Poles insists the decision is more about getting the young blocker to expand his versatility. In reality, it is the best way for the Bears to hide his faults. He'll be more useful at guard until he improves his footwork and hand techniques. Getting to work with Joe Thuney will be a blessing. There is nobody more polished and dependable in the NFL.

One thing is clear. The Bears' tackle preferences have significantly shifted since Johnson arrived. Whatever Amegadjie had to offer wasn't good enough.