Bears’ Potential Solution at Center Identified: Former Ram Coleman Shelton
The Chicago Bears have been facing a significant concern at the center position heading into free agency. However, this worry seems to have been addressed with the recent addition of veteran Coleman Shelton. With the acquisition of Shelton, the Bears now potentially have a center competition on their hands.
On March 4, the Bears acquired Ryan Bates from the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft. This move was made in an effort to address the center position. However, on Thursday, the team announced that it had agreed to terms with Shelton on a one-year free-agency deal. Shelton, who started 30 games at center over the last two seasons for the Los Angeles Rams, brings valuable experience to the Bears’ offensive line.
Shelton’s signing not only fills a need for the Bears but also provides them with a player who could fit right in the middle of their offensive line from Day 1. With 32 starts at center, Shelton has considerably more experience than Bates over his five-year career. In fact, Shelton was the Rams’ starter for every game this past season, including in the playoffs against the Detroit Lions.
The importance of finding a reliable center became evident with Lucas Patrick’s contract expiring. While Patrick filled in for Cody Whitehair at center last season, he struggled with injuries. Despite not allowing a sack last season, according to TruMedia, the Bears still sought younger upgrades in the offseason. Shelton, similar to Patrick, went undrafted but developed into a full-time starter later in his career.
In terms of performance, Shelton allowed 33 pressures and two sacks over 629 pass-block snaps for the Rams last year. However, he is considered a much better run blocker. In fact, he was part of the Rams’ Super Bowl-winning team in the 2021 season, playing four special teams snaps against the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.
The signing of Shelton has the fingerprints of new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron all over it. Waldron was the Rams’ passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach in 2019 when the team signed Shelton as a free agent. This indicates that both the Bears and Waldron view Shelton as a good fit for their offensive scheme.
In terms of the salary cap, the exact details of Shelton’s deal have not been disclosed. However, it is unlikely to have a significant impact on the Bears’ salary-cap situation. The most lucrative free-agent contract for an offensive lineman under general manager Ryan Poles remains right guard Nate Davis’ three-year, $30 million deal from last offseason.
Looking ahead, the Bears’ offensive line currently consists of left tackle Braxton Jones, left guard Teven Jenkins, center Shelton/Bates, right guard Nate Davis, and right tackle Darnell Wright. However, with the draft approaching next month, the Bears will have an opportunity to further strengthen their offensive line. Although they lack a second-round pick, they still have the No. 9 pick, which could allow them to consider top offensive tackles such as Notre Dame’s Joe Alt, Penn State’s Olu Fashanu, and Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga.
With the addition of Coleman Shelton and the potential for further improvements through the draft, the Bears are taking steps to address their concerns at center. As they continue to build their roster for the upcoming season, it will be interesting to see how these moves impact their overall performance on the field.