Bears Cut Former First Round Pick Williams

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Oct 17, 2012 3:20PM

The Bears have seemingly been revamping their offensive line for years ... and yet it remains the team's greatest weakness. When the team has invested first round draft picks on protection for their quarterbacks, the returns have been similar to those of Groupon stockholders. Marc Colombo didn't pan out after the Bears drafted him in 2002, and now the Bears have parted ways with 2008 first round pick Chris Williams.

Jerry Angelo selected Williams with the 14th pick in the '08 draft, intending for the six-foot, six-inch, 315 pounder out of Vanderbilt to eventually replace John Tait at left tackle. The team drafted him in spite of injury reg flags and, on the second day of his rookie training camp, he suffered another disc injury which required surgery and sidelined him for much of his rookie season.

In 2009, Williams started all 16 games for the Bears—11 at right tackle and five at left tackle. But after an injury slowed him in week two of the 2010 season, line coach Mike Tice moved Williams from the blind side and he never returned.

During the pre-season, there was supposedly a competition for the left tackle spot between Williams and J'Marcus Webb, but that was mostly on account of Webb's struggles at the position. But Webb won out and Williams remained on the bench. For the past two games, he wasn't even active, which was writing on the wall that his days were numbered given his supposed versatility of being able to play all four guard and tackle positions. In four and a half seasons, Williams started 38 games for the Bears, 20 at left guard, 11 at right tackle and only seven at the left tackle position he was supposed to solidify.

With Williams' departure, Gabe Carimi remains the lone first rounder of the Jerry Angelo era on the Bears' roster. Carimi himself has yet to show his full potential, as yet another highly drafted left tackle was chosen to try and fortify the O-line. He, too, had his rookie campaign interrupted with an injury that hampered his development.

Meanwhile, Williams may not remain unemployed for long. He is apparently meeting with the Philadelphia Eagles today.