Chicago Bears: The state of the offensive line
Right Tackle – Bobby Massie
I remember when Chicago signed Bobby Massie back in 2016. I was not overly excited since his career in Arizona was somewhat questionable. The one thing I do remember though was his size. Massie, or “massive” as I like to call him, is 6’6″ and 317 pounds. I was excited to hear the Bears were putting this size of a human being on their offensive line.
In 2018, Massie played extraordinarily well. He only allowed two sacks and did not have any holding penalties. Since joining the Bears in 2016, he has only missed two games. Pro Football Focus gave him a grade of 71.3. This grade made him 30th among tackles in the NFL, but I wonder if right tackles are graded lower than left tackles based on matchups.
light. Must Read. Say goodbye to Addison Russell
Massie went to Mississipi but was not a standout player in college. He had to rely on his size since he is not quick, mobile or athletic. Massie has always been a better run blocker than pass blocker, but since joining the Bears he has only averaged a little over three sacks per year. Based on his draft profile, I am surprised the Cardinals chose him in Round 4 of the 2012 NFL Draft.
While in Arizona, Massie allowed 20.5 sacks over three years. I am glad to see he panned out better for Chicago. Ryan Pace did a solid job extending Massie this offseason. Massie said he could have earned more money as a free agent, but wanted to remain with the Chicago Bears. This is a theme we are seeing under Executive of the Year Ryan Pace and Coach of the Year Matt Nagy.
The new contract is a 4-year, $30,800,000 contract with $14,500,000 guaranteed. The contract once again has outs for the Bears. He is locked in until 2023, but Ryan Pace could part ways fairly easily come 2021. Massie is only a $2,600,000 dead cap hit in 2022.
Where does the team go from here?