With 8 days left to the draft, I'm sure we all have seen most of the mocks (especially Erik's with the tradedown to Arizona/others with Oakland/mine with Cincinnati), analyses, video clips and whatever needed to accurately pinpoint what the Bears should do in order to repeat their success in 2010 and better.

Yet the one thing in my opinion that really matters is what will be with Chris Williams in 2011? Is he guaranteed a place on the line? At which position? Can JA and Lovie afford to have another 1st round bust?

Taken from http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2010/11/27/1838819/the-bears-offensive-line-shuffle

Last year they began the season by moving former RT Chris Williams over to LT, former RG Roberto Garza over to LG, a rookie (Lance Louis) at RG, and they shifted former LG Frank Omiyale over to RT. This is how it looked:

That unit lasted 2 weeks, as Chris Williams went down with a hamstring injury, at which point they moved Omiyale from RT over to LT, and Kevin Shaffer filled in at RT:

This look also lasted 2 weeks, but Lance Louis and Kevin Shaffer couldn't capitalize on their opportunities. So they moved Edwin Williams in at RG and rookie 7th round pick J'Marcus Webb filled in at RT:

This lineup only lasted one week, as Chris Williams replaced Roberto Garza at LG.

The Bears ran with this lineup for 2 weeks, before replacing Edwin Williams with Garza at RG:

and this was how the line lasted to the end of the season. So the question that has to be answered is why did Chris go to LG when he came back from his hamstring and not to his original position at LT? Was it because they had no one else to play at guard or that Omiyale was doing just as well and the staff was too scared to move the line around any more than required?

Now it seems like there are three options:

1. Chris has the lock on the LT position - then the Bears don't really need a LT (or any OT) and they should draft an OG with their first round pick or trade down and get one in the second.

2. Chris has the lock on the LG position - then the Bears better get one of the top 5 OTs - looks like it will either be Sherrod or Solder. In these two instances, I don't see a need for drafting more than one OL, maximum one more in the 4th or 5th.

3. Chris will have to battle it out in training camp for a position on the line - Bears should draft an OT and OG as early as possible.

In a footnote - I really came away impressed with J'Marcus Webb, think there should be some kind of award for most surprising rookie of the year, but don't think he is ready yet to take over the LT position.