Shane Waldron Helps Bears Continue Stacking O-Line Help
Whenever a team hires a new name at a high-ranking position on the coaching staff, it is a reasonable assumption they may look to bring in certain players they’re familiar with. Luke Getsy did so with Lucas Patrick, Robert Tonyan, and Equanimeous St. Brown. It was only natural his replacement, Shane Waldron, might do the same. It took some time, but the Chicago Bears finally brought in a familiar face. It was their third addition to the offensive line during this free agency period in right tackle Jake Curhan.
The former undrafted rookie out of Cal spent the past three years with the Seattle Seahawks primarily as a backup. He has experience at both tackle and guard. Due to injuries last season, he started four games. That stretch was marked by struggles in pass protection (22 pressures and 3 sacks). However, he did showcase capability as a run blocker. Curhan feels like the perfect training camp competition for both the tackle and guard spots. It will be up to offensive line coach Chris Morgan to sort things out.
Shane Waldron seems to understand what this team likes.
While Curhan might not be the most graceful blocker when you watch him, one thing is clear. The dude loves to inflict pain. He can be overpowering in the run game and isn’t afraid to finish plays. It is little surprise the Bears were drawn to him. At the very least, he can be a great addition in Jumbo packages where the Bears decide to go short yard and need an extra blocker with some power. The problem is the competition at tackle will be stiff. Not only is Larry Borom still on the roster, but the Bears also added veteran Matt Pryor yesterday.
Curhan will have to show a lot of improvements from what he’d learned in Seattle. If nothing else, it is nice to see the Bears continue investing in their offensive line depth. There is no such thing as too many healthy bodies. Curhan gives them added flexibility at two different positions. Such players have value. Shane Waldron already has a strong idea of what the young man can do. That information will help the team figure out where he fits best.