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The offensive line has been a glaring weakness for the Chicago Bears over the past two years. And in those two seasons, late collapses have cost the Bears a spot in the postseason.
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It may be too simple to point only at the line for the Bears' failures, because over that period the Bears have struggled at the tight end position as well. No one has been capable of filling the position since the trade of Greg Olsen to the Carolina Panthers.
CBS Sports NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang recognizes both of these weaknesses, and addresses them in his first-round mock pick for the Bears: Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert.
The Bears would love to see one of the top three left tackles available here, especially given the recent arrest of incumbent starter J'Marcus Webb, but solid depth at the position could allow the team to wait rather than reach here. The hiring of offensive guru Marc Trestman brings the quick-hitting principles of the West Coast Offense, including more of a focus on the tight end. Eifert is a soft-handed mismatch who would be a popular pick with the fan base.
The draft decision will come down to new head coach Marc Trestman, who is tasked with shoring up the holes in the Bears' roster to become an immediate postseason contender. As an offensive-minded coach, either one of the top offensive-line prospects or Eifert would advance Trestman's cause.
Eifert caught 50 passes for 685 yards and four touchdowns as the top receiving option last season at Notre Dame. He excelled at the NFL Scouting Combine, finishing as a top performer for his position in all seven events. He ran a 4.68 40-yard dash, tallied 22 reps on the bench press and had a 35.5-inch vertical jump.
He measured out at 6'5, 250 pounds. Appropriately enough, NFL.com lists Greg Olsen as his NFL equivalent.
Matthew Fairburn of SB Nation's Mocking the Draft, like Rang, also recognized the two main weaknesses for the Chicago Bears' offense in his latest mock draft. But unlike Rang, Fairburn projected the Bears to pass on Eifert and select North Carolina offensive guard Jonathan Cooper.
The Bears's offensive line is the team's biggest weakness. Lucky for them, Jonathan Cooper is still on the board in this mock. Cooper is closer to Warmack than most believe and should come off the board in the first round.
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