Sleepers on the Bears Offensive Line Ready to Excel
By "Rodney McKyer"

Pre-Season 2101 (Chicago, IL.) - When Z-Bo Zabroski took over for Brad Houska, he had no draft picks in his first draft. This was considered a major problem, since he whittled his roster down to 23 players. Bringing in thirty rookies to try-out for training camp made him seem like a radical risk-taker, which he has proven to be.

After last-season, Zabroski sent a message to his young offensive line: Hit the weight room, or ship out! Veterans Andy Muster, Jim Blade, Joel Wester, Bobby Schann, Hugh Tofflemire, Clinton Redden and Kerry Martin ballooned in size this off-season, and coming out of training camp they look like ursine beasts. Schann and Blade, in particular, appears like they could be a superstar offensive tackle.

Where did all this talent come from, though? Where was it the past few years? Some might say, 'In hibernation.' Nevertheless, the Bears have brought in a veteran QB to take-over the offense, and he is happy about what he sees. 'When I first signed here, I came into the training room and Jonathan Coles was icing down his entire body. I said to him, it's three months after the season and you're still banged up? The guy played last season with bruised ribs from getting sacked about 300 times over the past two seasons.' Christian O'Hara continued, 'I don't think that will be a problem this year.'

The Bears young offensive line is arguably the best up-and-coming unit in the league, and six of the top seven players on the depth-chart were undrafted free agents. This makes the story especially intriguing, considering Schann, Muster, Blade, Redden and Wester were all signed to fill roster holes caused by retirements and the Bears loss of four draft picks due to salary cap infringement.