The
Chicago Bears offensive line is in a bit of a gut check at the moment. Though they still have considerable depth to lean on, injuries have begun to take their toll. Kyle Long isn't fully back from his gruesome ankle injury last season. Now the news hit that primary backup Eric Kush, who played well in his absence, has a torn hamstring. He'll miss the rest of the season. This puts the team in a quandary.
Not only is the starting lineup affected by Long's issues, but now their depth takes a serious hit as well. Kush was an excellent reserve in 2016, doing well whenever he was elevated to the starting job. Hence why the Bears signed him to a new deal this offseason. Given the team is breaking in three new quarterbacks, quality blocking is more vital than ever.
Though they did sign rookie Brandon Greene to round out the roster, it's possible the team may have to get more aggressive to plug the hole. There is one name still on the market who could be perfect for them.
Bears offensive line would benefit from addition of Orlando Franklin
Orlando Franklin made the news recently having been signed and
released by the New Orleans Saints in the space of a few days. It was cited to be over health issues. It's unclear if he's had more time to recover since then. What is clear is that the 29-year old guard is the best one left on the free agent market.
Admittedly his tenure in San Diego with the Chargers did not end well. His first year saw him miss six games with injury. Yet he played all 16 last year and wasn't terrible. Besides that he has a productive track record, not to mention a history with head coach John Fox. The two were together for four season in Denver from 2011 to 2014.
Franklin is a big guy with plenty of power who is also mobile for his size. He has logged time at both guard and tackle. That sort of versatility would be most valuable to the Bears. Even though their interior depth took a hit with Kush, it's still better than their depth on the edges. Adding Franklin could solve both problems.
Even better, after his unfortunate turnabout with the Saints his price almost certainly will have dropped. So the Bears could get an experienced starter as a primary reserve on the cheap. That's football business 101.
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