Sam Mustipher, the former starting center for the Chicago Bears, will be joining the Denver Broncos for the 2024 season, as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Mustipher, who played nine games with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023, has signed a one-year contract with the Broncos. During his time with the Bears, he started 40 out of 43 games over four years.
Mustipher, aged 27, entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie with the Bears in 2019. He secured a starting position on their offensive line midway through the 2020 season. Despite showing improvement during his tenure in Chicago, his performance was criticized, particularly in pass protection. Pro Football Focus data indicates that his pass-blocking grade never surpassed 61.7 in a season, leading the Bears to let him go in the 2023 free agency without a tender offer.
Now, Mustipher will vie for a starting role with the Broncos, who are in need of a center following Lloyd Cushenberry’s departure to the Tennessee Titans in free agency. He joins a group of centers that includes Luke Watternberg, a fifth-round pick in 2022, and Alex Forsyth, a seventh-rounder in 2023. Mustipher’s contract with the Broncos is reported to be at the veteran-minimum level, earning him around $1.12 million for the upcoming season, according to Over the Cap.
Bears Reloaded Center Position in 2024 Offseason
Last season, the Bears struggled to find stability at center with Cody Whitehair and Lucas Patrick after parting ways with Sam Mustipher. However, looking ahead to 2024, the situation seems more promising following some key roster changes.
Just before NFL free agency commenced, the Bears traded their 2024 fifth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills for versatile interior lineman Ryan Bates. This acquisition marks a significant move for the Bears, as they had previously attempted to secure Bates during Ryan Poles’ inaugural offseason as general manager in 2022. Back then, Poles had signed Bates to a four-year, $17 million offer sheet, which the Bills matched to retain him. Now, after two years, Poles has succeeded in bringing Bates to Chicago, maintaining the original terms of the contract negotiated in 2022, with Bates set to earn approximately $8 million over the next two years.
In addition to Bates, the Bears also inked a one-year deal with 28-year-old Coleman Shelton. Shelton, who started 30 games at center over the last two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, adds valuable depth to the Bears’ roster. While it remains uncertain if Shelton will compete directly with Bates for the starting center position, his arrival undoubtedly bolsters the team’s options and represents an improvement from the previous season’s situation at center.
Could Bears Still Add Another Center in 2024 Draft?
Despite acquiring two promising candidates for the starting center position in 2024, the Bears are not ruling out selecting a center in this month’s NFL draft.
Reports indicate that the Bears have shown interest in at least one top center prospect for this year’s draft, namely Zach Frazier from West Virginia. Frazier confirmed meeting with the Bears at the 2024 NFL Combine and later visited Halas Hall for an official Top 30 visit in early April. Should the Bears hold a strong interest in Frazier, he could potentially become a target for them in the third or fourth round of the draft.
However, the Bears’ draft options may be somewhat constrained due to their limited draft capital. With only four total draft selections and two of them being top-10 picks acquired over the past six months through trades for veteran players, it’s unlikely they’ll use either of these high picks to address the center position.
Nonetheless, with opportunities in the third and fourth rounds, the Bears might opt to select Frazier or another similar prospect depending on the draft board’s dynamics.
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