NEWSLETTER
Finally! Some worthwhile offensive line help is on the way!
Veteran Chicago Tribune scribe Brad Biggs reports the Chicago Bears are on the cusp of trading for Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Dan Feeney. I figured something like this was coming down the pipeline after watching the Bears let go of four offensive linemen in a 24-hour period in their quest to trim a 90-player roster to 53 by the Tuesday (hey, that’s today!) deadline. But now we have a specific name to discuss:
It isn’t officially official (UPDATE: It is now!), but it sure is trending in that direction. Courtney Cronin (ESPN) chimes in with a tweet reporting that Chicago is sending a sixth-round pick to Miami for Feeney. At first blush, I don’t love trading away draft capital when there might be worthwhile free agents available. And it bugs me a little that GM Ryan Poles has to swing a trade for depth when this could’ve been addressed earlier in the offseason. But all things considered, a sixth-round pick shouldn’t be a significant loss. Particularly with how Poles has been able to accumulate Day 3 draft picks seemingly out of thin air.
Who is Dan Feeney?
Dan Feeney, 29, was a third-round pick (71st overall) by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2017 NFL Draft. The Indiana University product has local ties as an Orland Park native who played his high school ball at Carl Sandburg High School. That’s kinda neat. But I imagine the Bears are far more interested in Feeney’s experience at both guard spots and center. And I’d guess that is what you’re interested in, too.
Feeney’s career began with the Chargers where he played 63 games (57 starts) in four seasons. Feeney didn’t miss a start for the Chargers from 2018-20 while playing left guard (2018-19) and center (2020). Spending the last two years with the New York Jets saw Feeney’s time as a starter end, but his positional versatility expanded. Since the start of the 2021 season, Feeney has seen time at center (114 snaps), right guard (103), left guard (55), and even tight end (18) in jumbo sets. The general profile here is giving off Lucas Patrick vibes in terms of positional versatility across three interior line positions. And with Patrick in line to start either at center (in place of Cody Whitehair) or left guard (in place of Teven Jenkins), Feeney’s addition seems like a perfect fit.
If Dan Feeney’s name sounds familiar to you, as if you’ve read it here before, then pat yourself on the back. The Bears met with Feeney during the pre-draft process in 2017, which is why the name might ring a bell. PFF had Feeney as that draft class’ third-best center and 68th best player overall. So there is some unique prospect pedigree stuff when it comes to Feeney. That type of thing is always fun to follow. Here’s what we had to say about the news back then:
According to Draft Analyst’s Troy Pauline, the Bears have visited with Indiana offensive lineman Dan Feeney, who helped paved the way for Howard to break out at Indiana, and could be a welcome addition to the Bears group of offensive linemen. Feeney is a 6-foot-4, 305-pound lineman who can be plugged along the line right away after showing strong blocking skills in the run game, adequate ability in pass protection, and the right kind of attitude, together projecting to make him a quality offensive lineman.
At the time, I wasn’t sure about Feeney’s fit as strictly a guard. However, what is true about the Bears then is true now in terms of valuing positional versatility. And because Feeney has found that groove in being able to swing from spot to spot along the line, these Bears will be able to accommodate that flexibility (and during a time of desperate need, too). With Teven Jenkins “week-to-week” with his leg injury, Lucas Patrick dealing with an ailment, and Nate Davis shuffling in and out of the lineup, this group needs help. And I’m welcoming it with open arms — even if it comes in the form of a depth addition.
