Omiyale quickly climbs depth chart
Recently acquired unrestricted free agent Frank Omiyale's career as a backup left guard lasted about 24 hours.
As soon as the Bears' coaching staff learned that their own unrestricted free agent offensive lineman, John St. Clair, had signed with the Browns on Tuesday afternoon, Omiyale was switched to right tackle, where it was hoped St. Clair would at least be a place holder until the draft. Omiyale was the No. 2 left guard on the first day of minicamp, but Wednesday he was the No. 1 right tackle, replacing stand-in Cody Balogh.
That's where Omiyale will remain until the Bears sign a proven starter in free agency - which is doubtful - or until they draft a right tackle early. A high draft pick would create competition with Omiyale and probably send him back inside to vie with Josh Beekman at left guard.
"We're trying to lock guys in," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "(Omiyale) will play right tackle right now. It's hard enough learning a new system playing one position, so we'll lock him in there for a while and go."
That's all good with Omiyale, who spent most of his four years with the Panthers as a backup tackle. His only start last season was at left tackle.
"I haven't heard a concrete word where I'm going to be, but if that's what he's planning to do, I'm happy with it," the 6-foot-4, 310-pound Omiyale said of the move to right tackle. "I've got to get the whole offense down, period. Tackle is more what I'm used to, it's what I've played in the past. Wherever they want me to be, that's the position I'll learn and take care of it from there."
The Bears wanted St. Clair back, if for no other reason than that he was capable of playing every offensive line position other than center and of being a solid fill-in starter at all four spots. But the Browns' $9 million deal doubled what the Bears were offering.
"(I'm) not surprised," Smith said of St. Clair's departure. "Free agency is a part of it. Each year some of your players leave, and most of the time it opens up an opportunity for someone else to step in, and that's what we're looking to now."
Omiyale was still feeling his way on Wednesday, the second day of the three-day minicamp, but he found guidance on his left shoulder in right guard Roberto Garza, the Bears' starter for the previous four seasons.
"He already knows what's going on," Omiyale said. "So I can just get the reminders, like, 'This is what we're looking for here and there,' and that helps me out a lot."
With St. Clair's departure and John Tait's retirement, the Bears remain thin along the offensive line, even with Omiyale's addition. They have just eight offensive linemen on the roster, and four of them didn't start a single game last season, while Omiyale started just once.
"We need to get the numbers up with the offensive line right now," Smith admitted. "As you can see, we don't have a lot of guys. We're always looking to improve our ball club, whether it's free agency right now, (and) of course we have the draft (April 25-26) coming around, too."
It's not hard to guess what position the Bears will be focused on improving in the next few weeks.
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