At long last, the Chicago Bears found an offensive lineman in free agency. General manager Ryan Poles and the Bears agreed to terms with former Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Lucas Patrick. The deal is for two years with $8 million, $4 million guaranteed.
Patrick came to the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2016, but didn’t get any playing time until 2017. From there, he developed into a solid starter for the Packers, able to play multiple positions on the offensive line. In 2020, Patrick became a starter on the offensive line and earned the trust of his quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.
Now, Patrick reunites with his former coach Luke Getsy and figures to slot in as a starter at guard after James Daniels signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But does this move signal an upgrade or a downgrade for the interior part of the line? Here is our grade of the first signing by Ryan Poles on the offensive side of the ball.
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At first blush, it’s easy to feel disappointed that the Bears didn’t sign one of the top offensive linemen like tackle Terron Armstead or center Bradley Bozeman. But Patrick has a lot to bring to the table for a relatively low cost. In 2021, he played in all 17 games with 13 starts and allowed just one sack, according to Pro Football Focus.
He’s extremely versatile on the line, playing significant snaps at both guard positions and at center throughout his career. Though it’s never good to have to shuffle linemen around, Patrick at least offers that flexibility if things go south due to injuries or poor performances.
Patrick is someone who is not only athletic, but plays through the whistle, something Poles has been looking for when scouting linemen. He’s had to scratch and claw to earn every chance he’s gotten in the NFL and it shows with how far he’s come since coming into the league as an undrafted free agent. Patrick has also earned praise from his former quarterback Aaron Rodgers after continuing to step up in key areas to help the Packers win.
At 28 years old, Patrick is still in the prime of his career and should provide stability on the line at a very reasonable cost. He’ll be a good asset not only as a blocker for Justin Fields, but as a mentor for the other young linemen like Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom.
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