Chicago Bears: 5 Offensive linemen to watch for in Senior Bowl

One of the great things about Long was his mean streak. He played hard and wanted to bury his opponent. He doesn’t shy away from a fight and actually welcomes it. Now that Long isn’t there, the Chicago Bears don’t have that mean guy who could rile up his fellow linemen.

John Simpson is the one who could step in and take over that spot. Simpson played on Clemson’s National Championship team in 2018 and the runners-up to LSU this season.

Simpson is the total package. He has good strength both in his upper and lower body. He has strong hands and once he knocks a defender off balance he smells blood and goes for the kill. When he latches on a defender in run blocking he tries to put him into the ground. On pass protection, he’ll knock the man in front of him out of the way and look for another victim.

Simpson won’t wow you with his quick feet. He is a mauler who knows how to use his body to stop defenders. His power matches up with just about anyone.

If you want a player who knows how lucky he is and who works hard to keep it, look no further than Simpson. Many of the men in his family ended up in jail, including his father. His mother struggled to support him and his brother. In between football and wrestling in high school, he worked at a restaurant for a man who became his mentor.

Now Simpson is on the precipice of having it all pay off and is grateful for everything. He’s going to make sure he keeps it.

Maurice Moton of The Bleacher Report recently wrote an article about finding the answer to guard for the Bears. Simpson was his answer, per Bleacher Report:

"Though John Simpson has settled at left guard this season, he’s lined up on both sides of the Clemson line. His versatility would be an added plus in case of injuries. At 6’4″, 330 pounds, Simpson isn’t going to impress with light feet, though he knows how to use his frame to wall off defenders. He can match power with stout defensive tackles and create openings for ball-carriers to follow his lead."

As Moton wrote, Simpson helps the Bears with his flexibility. He plays both sides on guard and that comes in handy with the spate of injuries the line suffered over the past several seasons. With him, a free agent pickup, and Alex Bars on the line, the depth for the offensive line greatly improves.

Simpson is projected to go in the second day of the draft. Some have him as the top guard in the draft. The Chicago Bears need to bring in a mean, nasty player to the line and Simpson is just that guy.