Bears 2023 free agency preview: Will the Sam Mustipher era finally come to an end?

NFL free agency will be here before we know it, and the Chicago Bears have plenty of players set to hit the market. From key starters to valuable reserves, general manager Ryan Poles will have important decisions to make about who to bring back.

Here at Bears Wire, we’re going through each individual player and breaking down their 2022 performance and whether or not they fit in the Bears’ long-term plans.

Up next is center Sam Mustipher, who wound up playing a much bigger role than initially anticipated. But after another down year, will the Bears finally let him go?

2022 stats

Chicago Bears center Sam Mustipher (67) holds the ball at the line of scrimmage during an NFL preseason football game against the Cleveland Browns, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022, in Cleveland. The Bears won 21-20. (AP Photo/David Richard)

• 2 sacks, 4 hits, 14 hurries, 20 pressures, 3 penalties (17 games)

2022 review

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – DECEMBER 24: Sam Mustipher #67 of the Chicago Bears snaps the ball to Justin Fields #1 during the first quarter in the game against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field on December 24, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

When the Bears arrived for training camp last offseason, it felt as if Mustipher’s days in the navy and orange could be numbered. The team invested in the center position in free agency, signing veteran Lucas Patrick and drafting Illinois’ Doug Kramer as a developmental player. But injuries intervened and Mustipher suddenly became the last man standing.

Patrick suffered a broken thumb that kept him out of the majority of training camp and Kramer was lost for the season with a Lisfranc injury. That allowed Mustipher to regain the starting center position, a spot he had held since late 2020.

Despite struggling all season long in 2021, Mustipher started all 17 games and that was basically the recipe for 2022. Mustipher was a turnstile for much of the first two months of the season but was kept at center, even after Patrick was deemed healthy to snap. That finally changed in Week 7 when he was benched for Patrick against the New England Patriots. But after just a few series, Mustipher was back in when Patrick exited and was later lost for the year with a foot injury.

Not only did Mustipher have issues with protecting the quarterback, he also had a penchant for botching snaps. Mustipher and Justin Fields had trouble getting on the same page at times, with snaps coming either too low, too high, or too early. The only good news? Mustipher finished with a higher PFF grade in 2022 (63.4) than he did in 2021 (51.0).

Positional need: High

Chicago Bears guard Lucas Patrick (62) celebrates a Bears touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

Last offseason, the center position was one of the most glaring needs the Bears offense had. This offseason, nothing has changed. Patrick is still signed for one more season, but given his injury and the fact the team was reluctant to put him back at center after his thumb was healthy, would he be much of an upgrade? If the Bears cut Patrick, they would only eat $1.48 million while saving $3.9 million.

When it comes to Kramer, not much has come out since his injury. Though he’ll be someone to watch during the offseason, it’s doubtful he would factor into the starting position and will more than likely battle for a roster spot.

The Bears need someone who can not only protect Fields on the interior of the line, but also someone who can effectively communicate with him and the rest of the players up front. It felt as if Patrick had the necessary skills to do those tasks and perhaps he still can. But there’s doubt after his 2022 season. Don’t be surprised to see the Bears take another swing to find their center of the future this offseason.

The future

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – AUGUST 18: Sam Mustipher #67 of the Chicago Bears looks on in the second half during the preseason game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Chicago Bears at Lumen Field on August 18, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Most Bears fans want to see Mustipher hit the road after his dreadful play the last couple of years. But he still has value as a reserve interior lineman on a team that has seen too many injuries at center and guard. Mustipher is a restricted free agent, meaning the Bears can tender him and have an opportunity to match an offer if another team tries to sign him. His play may not be stellar, but he’s durable and that matters in the NFL.

If the Bears choose to release Patrick and go after another center, whether that’s via free agency or the draft, they’re going to need a reserve and the jury is still out on Kramer. Mustipher knows this offense and would fill in nicely in a pinch. The problem becomes if a pinch turns into a whole season, like it did in 2022.

2023 free agency profiles

We’re highlighting the Bears’ most notable free agents set to hit the open market in March:

Story originally appeared on Bears Wire