Here’s the first Bears starting offensive line of the year

With the second day of OTAs wrapping up, we were able to get a little information about the offensive line for the Chicago Bears and one notable piece of info due to an absence.

When the Bears practiced today, the offensive line with the 1s was as follows:

Most of this, of course, is no surprise. Darnell Wright is immediately with the 1s which is good to see. Nobody needs to pretend that Larry Borom is the starting right tackle and Wright needs to earn the job. If Wright isn’t starting week one, it’s because he’s either injured or something has gone terrible wrong. Braxton Jones being at left tackle was, of course, no surprise at all.

Most people understood that Teven Jenkins, not Nate Davis, would be moving to left guard this year, even though it was debated a couple of months ago around social media, Davis has largely been a right guard in both college and the pros so moving Jenkins makes the most sense.

Cody Whitehair was the presumed starter at center and this shows that it is, in fact, Whitehair’s job to lose. We will see how he performs against the other contenders as we continue through the offseason.

The last spot is notable. Davis chose not to show at OTAs, which has to be disappointing but is his right to miss. But Ja’Tyre Carter was his replacement. That shows the type of value the Bears think they have in Carter. First, Carter was on the 53-man roster all of last season, which shows that the Bears did not want to risk losing him, like they did with Zach Thomas when the LA Rams poached him off the Bears’ practice squad. They wanted to make sure he was protected all season. And while Carter did see a lot of time at RG last year in preseason and in practice, the fact that they put him there, and not Lucas Patrick or any of the other options, show they expect Carter to be a prominent reserve this year. He will be a player to watch during the preseason to see how he’s progressed. Carter could find himself as the top interior offensive line reserve or could even push as the team’s starting center if the Bears choose to work him there.

But moving forward, Jones, Jenkins, Whitehair, Carter and Wright appear to be your starting five across the offensive line until Nate Davis arrives.