Bears positional analysis: Offensive line
Chris Williams, Olin Kreutz, Roberta Garza and J'Marcus Webb during the Bears' playoff win over Seattle. (Brian Cassella/Tribune)
By Brad Biggs
Third in a 10-part series
If the offensive line wasn't the Chicago Bears' most scrutinized group during the 2010 season, it will be this offseason.
The Bears charged veteran coach Mike Tice with making a cohesive unit out of the assembled parts general manager Jerry Angelo collected over the last several years. With four of the same starters the team used during 2009, the Bears allowed 21 more sacks and the high-volume playbook of new coordinator Mike Martz is a big reason why.
In fact, there shouldn't be anything surprising about the sack total that Bears quarterback Jay Cutler took this season. It was right in line with what Martz's teams have done recently:
2010 Bears: 56 sacks
2008 San Francisco 49ers: 55
2007 Detroit Lions: 54
2006 Detroit Lions: 63
2004 St. Louis Rams: 50
The difference is Martz's offenses have not produced points like they did when he was in St. Louis. But pressure on the quarterback is a constant in the scheme. It's a timing-based offense and a lot of times the quarterback is asked to hold the ball until the last moment before he's hit.
Even though the sacks totals come with the territory with Martz, the Bears still need to invest in the line. It has to be a priority for Angelo, who traditionally has avoided using high draft picks on linemen. In nine drafts, Angelo has selected an offensive lineman three times in the first three rounds -- Chris Williams (Round 1, 2008), Marc Colombo (Round 1, 2002) and Terrence Metcalf (Round 3, 2002). Seven defensive linemen have been drafted in the first three rounds during Angelo's tenure, as he has relied heavily on shrewd free-agent additions on the offensive side of the ball.
While plenty of speculation focuses on guard Logan Mankins of the New England Patriots, it's unlikely the Patriots will allow him to leave without compensation. He will turn 29 next month and the best guess is New England will place the franchise tag on him if a long-term contract cannot be worked out. It would be surprising if Angelo decided to trade first-round picks for this year or next. Other options should be available but you don't find many anchors in free agency.
Roll call: Roberto Garza, Olin Kreutz, Lance Louis, Herman Johnson, Frank Omiyale, Kevin Shaffer, J'Marcus Webb, Chris Williams, Edwin Williams.
2010 overview: Tice made his first significant change upon arrival when he moved Frank Omiyale from left guard to right tackle, getting the 2009 free-agent signee on the outside where he was more comfortable. His second major move came at the start of the second week of training camp when Roberto Garza, who started every game at right guard from 2006 through 2009, was shifted to left guard. That moved was made to create a spot for Lance Louis, the 2007 seventh-round pick, at right guard. Louis got four starts and didn't necessarily cover himself in glory. He's powerful, physical and athletic, but got thrown into the mix before he was ready. When a minor knee injury forced him out Oct. 3 against the New York Giants, he never made it back into the lineup.
The real shuffling began in Week 2 when left tackle Chris Williams suffered a hamstring pull at Dallas. Omiyale flipped to his side and Kevin Shaffer was temporarily inserted at right tackle. Left tackle is the position Omiyale was most comfortable with from his days in Carolina and college. He got 14 starts there and while he's not headed to the Pro Bowl any time soon, he was adequate and better than some of the other options the Bears have tried over the last decade. Omiyale has long arms and he settled in as the season went along.
When Williams made it back, he was moved to left guard, a position he hadn't played since his sophomore season at Vanderbilt. He made 11 starts at guard and never looked completely comfortable. Williams might not have the base and power needed to play inside. That raises the question of what to do with him in 2011 because if Tice wanted him at tackle, he would have found a way to move him back there. What the plan is for him moving forward will be interesting to see.
Williams' injury and the shuffling of the line opened a spot at right tackle for seventh-round pick J'Marcus Webb. The Bears were high on him entering the 2010 draft because he possesses all the tools you look for in a tackle. Webb performed well at times and looked like an overmatched rookie at others. Of the collection of late-round picks from the last few years, he's certainly the project with the most upside in the eyes of the coaches. Webb needs to make a jump in Year 2, though. Martz gushed when talking about Williams. We'll see what's in store for him in the coming months.
Garza got back to his more familiar right guard position after arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus that he played on for 2 1/2 games. His return coincided with the offense improving after the off week, so it's fair to say they might have taken Garza for granted. Edwin Williams had a chance to play for three weeks after Louis went down but back spasms cost him. He's another strong, physical interior option but doesn't have a lot of experience, and when you collect a lot of sixth- and seventh-round picks, you often end up with a collection of fringe players. Ultimately, Edwin Williams might be an option at center, but it's difficult to envision him being prepared for that role in 2011.
Olin Kreutz returned from surgery to repair his Achilles tendon and was better than he looked in 2009 with more strength. He was one constant on the line over the course of the season but after 13 seasons he's an unrestricted free agent. Kreutz isn't the same player physically he once was but he's the undisputed leader of the locker room and the impact he has on the field as a leader can't be minimized.
Free agency/draft priority: In a perfect world the Bears would add two new starters to the mix, one a veteran and one a rookie who is ready to step in immediately. The Bears hold the 29th pick in the first round and there is no guarantee there will be a player who fits their needs available at that spot. Angelo says he hates to be held hostage to a position in the draft, but how is he not a hostage here? Mankins doesn't seem like a realistic option and while he'd be a huge upgrade for the Bears, he's angling for $8 million annually and guards don't win Super Bowls. Hopefully, the Bears can find one interior addition, one with the ability to play center, and a tackle. That's got to be their goal. It's the biggest priority of the offseason for a team that has struggled to draft offensive linemen.
Player to watch: Maybe it's perception, but it looks like the Bears consider Webb to have a higher upside than Williams, the 14th pick of the 2008 draft. How Webb develops with a full offseason, even if it's one that includes a lockout, will be interesting to watch. If he can make significant strides, maybe Tice has found a project that will pan out for the Bears.
Looking ahead: Kreutz probably will be brought back on a short-term contract. Garza drew big praise from Tice when the season ended and it's fair to imagine him being a part of the plan for next season. After that, there's Webb and a bunch of players who will be given chances to compete. One of the nice things about watching Tice work is he isn't afraid to try things. If something isn't working, he'll change the lineup in a heartbeat and that's not something all coaches will do. Shaffer likely will be cut loose, but this is more about who comes in than who leaves.
Bottom line: Angelo has his work cut out for him. The Bears assign one person to be a crosschecker for each position in the draft, an overseer if you will. Angelo has been that man for the offensive line. The draft is his baby and the line has been his position. It's time to produce.
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Sve ovo treba otjerat nikog ne treba ostaviti
izuzev 74- Chris Williamsa koji je jedan od visoko rangiranih pickova bersa , i kapitena veterana 57- Olin Kreutz koji moze ostati samo zato sto citavu svoju karijeru igra u Bearsima i uz to kao igrac Bearsa bio je 7 puta izabran na pro bowll...naravno treba mu omoguciti da zavrsi karijeru u Bearsima zasluzio je to ....svi ostali mogu da idu goni ih u pm
Ne mogu da vjerujem...
Glavni razlog je taj pobjednički mentalitet koji imaju i veliko iskustvo Big Bena & Co. u ovakvim mečevima. Po meni, ekipe su podjednake kvalitetom i mislim da će iskustvo presuditi. Odbrane su pe' deka, Steelersi imaju bolji RG, Packersi bolji PG. Uglavnom, odlično ste to izanalizirali u prethodnim postovima. 
