Chicago Bears: Germain Ifedi signing is better than you think

While many don’t see the Chicago Bears’ acquisition of Germain Ifedi as doing much to improve the offensive line, he plays better as a guard and he’ll show his worth once he hits the field.

Heading into the offseason, many fans and experts around the league felt that the Chicago Bears‘ offensive line needed a lot of attention. The unit struggled mightily in 2019. Part of the reason, to be fair, was all the injuries that mounted. Both starters on the right side, Kyle Long and Bobby Massie, missed big chunks of the season. The Bears didn’t have adequate depth so the backups weren’t able to step up effectively.

Some expected general manager Ryan Pace to make the line a priority. There were some good options available via free agency. Additionally, there were some options in the draft. Pace, however, waited until his final two picks in the final round before he chose linemen, and those players might not even make the 53-man roster. They likely make it to the practice squad. This did not endear Pace to the fans, who expected players who could make an impact early.

Pace’s free agency moves did not impress many, either. He signed Jason Spriggs and Germain Ifedi. Both players are tackles. Spriggs is expected to be the main backup (and possibly a future starter) while Ifedi is expected to battle for the starting right guard spot.

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Ifedi was the Seattle Seahawks’ first-round pick (31st overall) in the 2016 NFL Draft. He largely underwhelmed in Seattle, though, and they let him walk. His main problem is something Chicago Bears fans are familiar with in their linemen — penalties. In the past three seasons, he committed 39 penalties.

Now you might ask what good is there in having another offensive lineman to compete with Charles Leno to see who can commit more penalties.

Here’s the thing, though. Ifedi will surprise many people with how good he’ll be.

The Saints did Ifedi no service with how they used him. In his rookie season, he played 13 games, all starts. He only committed seven penalties that season. He was an effective player that season.

For some reason, the Seahawks decided to move Ifedi over to right tackle. There he didn’t shine. He struggled a bit against quick defenders attacking the outside, which led to a lot of holding calls. Seattle kept him there for three seasons and the same thing kept happening.

With the Bears, Ifedi will move back to his natural position. He enjoyed success there so he should go back to that position. Also, the Bears need a right guard so Pace felt he’d be a great asset.

When you look at the above video, you can see that Ifedi uses his brute strength to move people out of the way. With the center on one side and the tackle on the other, he doesn’t get lost in space. He meets rushers head-on and he does a good job of beating them. He has the perfect body to excel at guard — he anchors himself and defenders have a difficult time getting past him.

The Bears got Ifedi on a club-friendly deal. They signed him to a one-year, $1.1 million deal so cost isn’t a concern. If he cannot win the starting job or has a bad season then both parties move on. I believe he will win the job, though, and he’ll flourish. He has strength in both his upper and lower body and he has a great punch that knocks defenders off-balance.

Ifedi might not be someone who leaps off the page right away. When you see him play, however, he’ll show that he could be a valuable member of the offensive line and be a reason why it improves.