Top 25 most important Bears in 2022: No. 7 Larry Borom

Shaw Local is counting down the top 25 most important Bears for the 2022 season.

What makes one player more important than another? That’s subjective, of course. But for our purposes it comes down to this: Are the Bears worse off if this player can’t play? Does this player have untapped potential or past greatness to live up to? Is his story going to be one fans follow closely this season?

For example, Justin Fields might not be the best player on the Bears in 2022 (or maybe he will be), but he certainly is among the most important.

No. 7 Larry Borom

Position: Offensive tackle

NFL experience: Second season

Last year’s ranking: Not in top 25

Looking back: A year can make a big difference in expectations. Last July, Larry Borom didn’t make Shaw Local’s top 25 most important Bears list. Now he’s solidly in the top 10. The 2021 fifth-round draft pick out of Missouri expected to serve as a backup. Instead, he saw action in Week 1 and wound up starting eight games thanks to injuries ahead of him on the depth chart.

Borom spent time at both right and left tackle in Matt Nagy’s offense last season. He performed well at both spots. Since Matt Eberflus and the new coaching staff came in, they have tested out Borom at right and left tackle. He is likely the front-runner to start at left tackle. Whether he winds up on the right or left side, it appears likely Borom will be in the starting lineup at tackle, it’s just a matter of which side.

Looking forward: For the first half of the spring practice period, Borom was the starting left tackle. Getting those first reps matters. Between Borom, Teven Jenkins and rookie Braxton Jones, Borom has the most NFL experience of the bunch. He worked hard to reinvent himself after his final college season, slimming down to be able to play tackle. If Borom can emerge as a reliable left tackle this season, general manager Ryan Poles should feel a lot better about his offensive line moving forward. If not, he might be spending a lot of time looking at tackles ahead of next year’s draft.

Protecting quarterback Justin Fields has to be a priority for the Bears this season. He took too many sacks and found himself in danger too many times last year. The Bears need to find out if Fields is indeed the answer at quarterback. They can’t do that if he’s hurt or scrambling for his life. Borom will play a central role in protecting the future at QB. His success is pivotal to the team’s future.

Top 25 most important Bears in 2022: No. 7 Larry Borom

No. 7 Larry Borom

In case you missed it: Previous installments of the top 25

Sean Hammond