January 8, 2023; Santa Clara, California, United States; San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey (69) makes a save in the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Bears are unlikely to go crazy in the free hand this year. That means they have more than enough money to take a big hit or two if they want to. Ongoing rumors suggest that GM Ryan Poles is hoping to quickly hit a few key positions and shore up some troubled areas in his roster. There are already indications that Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave will be a target. He had 11.5 sacks last year and would solve the Bears’ glaring lack of inside pass rush. The other position was an offensive right tackle, which was the biggest weakness up front. Enter Mike McGlinchey.
Dan Bernstein revealed in 670 The Score that he hears whispers that the San Francisco 49ers right tackle veteran is the name to look out for for Chicago. It makes sense. McGlinchey is tall, tall, athletic for his height and plays on an offensive system very similar to the Bears.
McGlinchey is best known for his outstanding run blocking. He was dominant in 2020. Injuries slowed him down in 2021 but he regained some of his juice last year. The big problem for some is his passport protection. While it’s not terrible, it can’t be called good either. In the last two full seasons he’s played, he’s allowed 37 and 36 total presses, respectively.
Mike McGlinchey is an upgrade, just not a big one.
Overall he’s better than Larry Borom or Riley Reiff. That much can be said. However, he doesn’t appear to be the solution if the Bears wanted to improve Justin Fields’ pass protection. On the other hand, their attacking identity is based on running football. If they want to continue with that then McGlinchey is a good choice. He’s big, strong and evil. He also has connections to the area, having attended Notre Dame College. Combining him and Teven Jenkins on the right might cause problems.
The truth is that there is no perfect solution for the bears. Your other two options in the market are Kaleb McGary and Jawaan Taylor. McGary is similar to Mike McGlinchey, a good run blocker with average pass protection skills. Taylor is the opposite. He was a top pass protector for Jacksonville last season but is considered a liability in the running game. From the Poles’ point of view, none of his options are ideal. In such cases, it is best to find the most suitable scheme and roll with it. That’s what McGlinchey is.