Chicago Bears: Larry Borom turning heads at training camp

The biggest area of concern for the Chicago Bears going into the upcoming season is the offensive line. The play of the offensive line this year will have a ripple effect throughout this entire team that is not just limited to how well the offense plays.

Their play could impact Justin Fields’ timeline as the coaching staff may feel pressured to rush him in because his legs could make up for line play. However, it could also force them to sit him longer in order to avoid a rough start in the NFL. Regardless, neither scenario is one the Chicago Bears want to find themselves in. Fortunately, Chicago Bears’ rookie tackle Larry Borom has been impressive in training camp.

The Chicago Bears are currently missing Teven Jenkins, their second-round pick slated to start at left tackle, and also Germain Ifedi who had a strong end to the season at right tackle last year. Many of us have been begging Ryan Pace to sign one of the available free agent tackles (Russell Okung, Mitchell Schwartz, etc.) to add some depth and experience to the line but as of now, the Chicago Bears have not been linked to any of these players.

What does this tell us about Larry Borom? There have been whispers about Larry Borom dating back to rookie minicamp that indicated he could be a valuable long-term prospect. However, during training camp, he has been given an opportunity to play with the starters and has begun to accelerate his own timeline.

Jeff Joniak said that Borom has been turning heads at practice and showed well in his first padded practice at left tackle. Nagy added that Borom never looked overwhelmed, a characteristic that even showed up on his college tape. Keep in mind that Larry Borom is a fifth-round pick starting against arguably the most talented defensive line in the NFL – and he’s not only not overwhelmed but also performing well.

Additionally, we know that the Chicago Bears think much higher of Borom than many fans or media realize. Nagy confirmed today that they had a second/third-round grade on Borom which means they envisioned him being an eventual starter on the offensive line.

Tom Thayer also called Larry Borom a shining star and that he would be confident starting Borom at left tackle. Thayer himself has been covering the Chicago Bears for years and also played on the offensive line for the ’85 Bears so he knows a thing or two about what it takes to play the tackle position (via Kevin Wells).

Should Borom maintain this development and Jenkins or Ifedi returns healthy, the Chicago Bears could still start this season with a solid offensive line which will only improve as they continue playing together throughout the season. Unfortunately, the Bears still have to plan for the worst-case scenario but the emergence of Larry Borom is a reason for optimism.