BOURBONNAIS -- There aren’t snaps on the ground like there were the first day of training camp.
The run blocking has been solid since pads went on last Monday.
Mike Tice has seen enough, to this point, to declare his starting five on the offensive line, something that would seem to make it challenging for newcomer Chris Spencer to crack the lineup. Tice said that unless one of his five starters “falters” what he has now is the line the team will use in five weeks when the regular season opens Sept. 11 against the Atlanta Falcons at Soldier Field.
That means Roberto Garza will remain at center with Chris Williams at left guard and Lance Louis at right guard. J’Marcus Webb is the left tackle with rookie first-round pick Gabe Carimi set at right tackle. Tice already calls Carimi an “elite run blocker.”
This doesn’t mean Spencer, who signed a $6 million, two-year contract, will be riding the bench. But it does speak to how Tice feels about the job the starting five has done to this point, particularly the play of Louis, who started the first four games a year ago.
“I’ve got, I think right now, the five best guys on the field and we’re going to stay that way until something proves me I’m wrong,” Tice said.
Asked several times to clarify the situation, Tice repeated himself.
“I have five guys in there starting,” he said. “Unless they falter, that's who's opening the season against Atlanta."
So, nothing is set in stone but it appears the Bears want to move toward a decision sooner rather than later. Clearly, Garza has done a solid job at center. The Bears made five lineup changes on the line in the first eight games last season. Settling on one early would be a considerable help based on how the team felt the unit played when it settled in.
One primary reason not to rule Spencer out at center? Moving Garza to right guard could allow him to work alongside the inexperienced Carimi. The Bears felt Garza did a nice job alongside Webb last season and might want to have a veteran influence next to the right tackle.
