The Chicago Bears lose two more linemen this year. Read more on the impact this will have, and who the team can use to replace them.
After losing Cody Whitehair and Bobby Massie to injury last week, the Chicago Bears offensive line appeared to be in shambles. The team’s luck continued to spiral downwards, as reports state that two players tested positive for COVID-19, both of them on the offensive line.
#Bears OT Jason Spriggs tested positive for COVID-19, source said. In addition, G Germain Ifedi was determined to be a high-risk close contact, and while he’ll go on the list, he does have a chance to be back and play on Sunday.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 3, 2020
Spriggs signed with the team this year as a backup option behind Massie and Charles Leno Jr. He spent the beginning of his career with the Green Bay Packers. Ifedi also signed with the team this year to replace Kyle Long at guard. The former Seattle Seahawk originally played tackle.
The team is looking razor-thin at the offensive line now. With not many options left on the table, and the NFL trade deadline passed, here’s who could be starting against the Tennessee Titans this Sunday.
So, it’s *possible* the Bears’ O-line looks like this in Tennessee…
LT Charles Leno Jr.
LG Alex Bars
C Sam Mustipher
RG Arlington Hambright
RT Rashaad Coward
Reserves: 3 practice squad guys? Lachavious Simmons, Badara Traore, Dieter Eiselen https://t.co/QNjnBk1Mny— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) November 3, 2020
Ifedi will have to undergo the league’s COVID-19 policies and receive a second negative test within 24 hours in order to get back on track to play Sunday.
Options
2020 seventh-round pick Arlington Hambright will likely make his NFL debut. Hambright played college football at the University of Colorado. He made the team’s active roster but has been inactive all season. Hambright has experience at both the guard and tackle position but played primarily guard.
The Bears also activated their other 2020 seventh-round pick, Lachavious Simmons, to the active roster. Simmons played football at Tennessee State and was on the practice squad all season. The team has two practice squad players, Badara Traore and Dieter Eiselen both undrafted rookies hailing from LSU and Yale, respectively. The Bears likely won’t activate them, however.
The Chicago Bears offensive line struggled all season. This news puts an even bigger challenge on the group, who now must face a fierce Titans defense in a game that could decide whether or not the team makes the playoffs.
