NFL free agency buzz: Strategic thinking forming along Bears OL

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The Oakland Raiders burying the money needle with a five-year contract topping out at $60 million for former Baltimore Ravens guard Kelechi Osemele should make even lower-tier offensive linemen manage a smile.

The deal may cost the Bears a few dollars more in a market that the Osemele deal heats up, but it doesn’t cause any sort of ripple in the Bears’ overall plan, which includes an offensive lineman fitting some very specific criteria.

Consider: The Denver Broncos released veteran guard Louis Vasquez on Tuesday, another player with some history with John Fox from the latter’s time coaching the Broncos. Vasquez is far from used up, turning 29 next month. He came into the NFL as the third-round pick of the San Diego Chargers in the 2009 draft. Vasquez also has played extensively at tackle.

What makes Vasquez and Seattle Seahawk J.R. Sweezy, turning 27 next month, particularly intriguing is that either would effectively give the Bears five starting linemen with only left guard Matt Slauson as old as 30 (Slauson turned 30 last month).

[SHOP: Gear up, Bears fans!]

Slauson is signed through 2017 to a deal paying him $2.9 million each of the next two seasons, NFL-affordable for a starting guard.

To Slauson’s left is tackle Charles Leno Jr., age 24. To Slauson’s right, Hroniss Grasu, age 25 on Opening Day 2016. Right tackle is Kyle Long, 27.

Meaning: Using 28 to split the difference between Sweezy and Vasquez, the Bears project to begin the 2016 season with an offensive line averaging 26.8 years of age and signed through 2017 because of the Bears’ fifth-year option with Long’s rookie contract.

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