Should the Chicago Bears Keep Charles Leno at LT over a Healthy Jermon Bushrod?
Published by Matt Eurich on October 26, 2015
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
Starting left tackle Jermon Bushrod was forced to leave the Chicago Bears‘ Week 3 game against the Seattle Seahawks with a concussion, and his replacement, Charles Leno, has proven in the last few weeks he can hold his own on the left side of the offensive line.
The Bears signed Bushrod to a five-year, $35.96 million deal in 2013 to protect quarterback Jay Cutler‘s blind side, but the former Pro Bowl left tackle has been average at best since arriving in Chicago.
According to Pro Football Focus, Bushrod allowed four sacks, nine quarterback hits and 42 quarterback hurries in 1,070 snaps in 2013. In 2014, the veteran tackle allowed five sacks, nine quarterback hits and 31 quarterback hurries in 947 snaps.
Bushrod has been a solid run-blocker since joining the Bears—particularly on toss plays—but he has struggled to find consistency as a pass-blocker.
According to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune, Bushrod returned to practice from his concussion on October 14, but he was limited due to a shoulder injury. When the Bears took the field in Week 6 against the Detroit Lions, Leno once again got the start at left tackle, per Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times:
The former New Orleans Saint still has two years remaining on his contract after this season, but Leno is making a strong case to continue to start at left tackle even if Bushrod is healthy.
The Bears drafted Leno in the seventh round of the 2014 draft, and the former Boise State Bronco appeared in five games last season—mostly in various sub-packages and on special teams.
When Chicago opened up training camp this summer, Bushrod was held out of the early portion of practice, and Leno got reps with the first-team offense, per Adam Hoge of WGNRadio.com:
Once Bushrod was able to practice, Leno started splitting reps with starter Jordan Mills at right tackle. Leno and Mills competed during training camp and the preseason for the starting right tackle job, and Mills was eventually cut before the start of the season.
Even though Leno made the roster, he struggled during the preseason on the right side. He failed to engage defenders on the edge, he struggled with his footwork and he did not play with enough physicality in the running game.
Instead of letting Leno develop on the outside at right tackle, the Bears decided to move Pro Bowl guard Kyle Long to right tackle for the first game of the season against the Green Bay Packers.
According to Pro Football Focus, Leno played eight total snaps in the first two weeks of the season before playing the final 20 snaps at left tackle against the Seahawks in Week 3. The Bears announced Bushrod would be out for the team’s Week 4 matchup with the Oakland Raiders, and Fox was confident in Leno’s ability to take over on the left side.
“Skill set-wise, I think he’s probably more adaptable to the left side than the right side,” said Fox, per ChicagoBears.com’s Larry Mayer. “It’s a huge opportunity for him and we’re all excited and anxious to see how he performs.”
Per Pro Football Focus, Leno played all 79 snaps at left tackle against Oakland, and he allowed one sack and three quarterback hurries. Despite giving up a sack, Leno impressed the Chicago Sun-Times‘ Adam Jahns with his play:
The young tackle squared off against Kansas City pass-rushers Tamba Hali and Dee Ford in Week 5, and according to Pro Football Focus, he allowed one quarterback hit and five quarterback hurries. Even though Leno allowed pressure at times, former NFL scout Dan Hatman was impressed with his performance:
Leno started at left tackle again in Week 6 against the Detroit Lions, and he held his own against pass-rusher Ziggy Ansah, per Kevin Fishbain of ChicagoFootball.com:
Leno looks more comfortable playing on the left side of the line and displays better technique than he did at right tackle, and offensive line coach Dave Magazu thinks Leno’s solid play is a product of the young tackle’s confidence on that side of the line, per ESPN.com’s Jeff Dickerson:
I just think he’s better with his right hand and as a tackle, you really have to be versed with your inside hand. He’s comfortable and balanced right now. There is pace to his sets. Every once in a while he panics and you see him panic on a play. … But he’s feeling comfortable and feeling confident and that’s half the battle. If you’re in that groove, you know, it’s like a baseball hitter — sometimes that ball looks really big and other times it looks like a BB.
The Bears have not said when they expect Bushrod to return, and Magazu has no idea who will start at left tackle when Bushrod is healthy.
“When you guys figure it out let me know,” Magazu told the media last week when asked who would be the starter, per Dickerson. “I don’t know. I haven’t gotten that far. That will be something we discuss and move on from there. I don’t know. I’m not even lying. And I don’t have a problem lying to you guys.”
While Magazu is not sure who will start at left tackle moving forward, Bleacher Report’s Dan Pompei thinks it will be hard to bench Leno:
Leno has his flaws, but he is 24 years old and has made just three starts in his NFL career. He has above-average athleticism for the position, and he has shown improvement from week to week despite going up against some of the league’s best edge-rushers in Aldon Smith, Hali and Ansah.
Since the Bears are currently sitting with a 2-4 record, it is going to be difficult for them to get back into the playoff discussion, meaning the remaining games on the schedule will give Chicago’s coaching staff and front office an opportunity to evaluate the roster for the future.
Bushrod has been an average tackle since joining the Bears in 2013, but he has struggled with injuries the last couple of seasons and turned 31 years old in August. If the Bears do not see Bushrod in their future plans, it makes the most sense for the organization to see what it has in Leno moving forward.
Statistical information courtesy of NFL.com unless otherwise noted. Contract information courtesy of Spotrac.
Matt Eurich is a Chicago Bears featured columnist for Bleacher Report and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.
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