Chicago Bears sign offensive tackle Bradley Sowell to a free agent contract

The Chicago Bears added depth to their offensive tackle mix with the signing of Bradley Sowell.

On Tuesday, the Chicago Bears signed veteran offensive tackle Bradley Sowell to a one-year free agent contract. The 27-year-old Sowell entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He spent some time as a reserve lineman for the Indianapolis Colts but really did not see the field much until he signed with the Arizona Cardinals in 2013.

Sowell was an occasional starter at left tackle for the Cardinals from 2013 to 2015, not really having much success along the way. He spent last season with the Seattle Seahawks, where he began the year as their starting left tackle. Sowell struggled again in 2016, eventually losing his job to undrafted rookie George Fant.

Sowell has put together quite a bit of NFL experience. Unfortunately, none of it has been very good. He is a 6-foot-7, 309-pound offensive tackle who can move a bit, but Sowell is not much of a run blocker and an average pass protector at best.

The Chicago Bears have a pretty ugly offensive tackle situation. Charles Leno Jr. has some upside at left tackle, but he struggles with consistency. Right tackle Bobby Massie is an above average run blocker, but he cannot protect the quarterback at all. With the slow-footed Mike Glennon now under center for the Bears, Massie could end up being a major liability at right tackle.

That being said, Sowell is probably not going to push him for a starting job. Expect Sowell to come into training camp and compete for a roster spot as the Bears’ swing tackle. He still has some perceived upside at the position and could provide some decent depth for the team in an emergency.

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This move is far from a game-changer but it does give the Bears an experienced player at a major position of need.