Chicago Bears: 4 players facing make-or-break seasons in 2020

4. Tackle Charles Leno

I think there are plenty of folks within Bears fandom who have thrown in the towel on Charles Leno, but I’m not one of them just yet. The guy I saw in 2017 and 2018 was an ascending, smart football player who got better and better overall.

Last year, I think the Bears’ offensive line was atrocious as a whole. They looked lost as a group on many occasions, so placing the blame on one particular lineman seems a little harsh. Personally, I think it has much more to do with coaching than anything else.

This was a group who performed more than adequately prior to 2019, and Juan Castillo should be a breath of fresh air for everyone up front, especially Leno.

Leno’s contract runs through the 2021 season, so he will likely be around for one more season at least. If, for some reason, he underperformed in 2020 and the Bears wanted to replace him, Leno would count as a dead cap hit of over $5 million if he was cut.

Still just 28 years old, Leno should have a couple more seasons in his prime at least. Continuity and chemistry will only take him so far, though, playing with three of the other four starters for a couple of years now. In 2020, it’s time for Leno to return to the player the Bears extended.