What a Difference a Year Has Made For Alex Bars

Las Vegas Raiders guard Alex Bars is in a very different position than he was at this time last season.

A young lineman who had been entering just his fourth NFL season, Bars was merely looking to carve out a spot on the roster last training camp.

Now, after a solid 2022 campaign, he has established himself as an asset capable of starting every game and could very well do so this coming season.

"I mean, every training camp is an opportunity to get better, improve on the things that you didn't do as well as you wanted to last year and improve as training camp goes on," Bars said when he addressed the media Sunday. "So, I'm not looking through those lenses as much as every training camp, just trying to get better and better and better."

Bars was originally waived as part of final roster cuts at the end of last year's training camp before he was activated to the practice squad on Sept. 6, 2022.

Just 11 days later, he was elevated to the active roster. He then he sent back to the practice squad after Week 2 and Week 3, despite playing both games.

But after being elevated to the active roster once again on Oct. 1, 2022, he never looked back.

Bars started 14 of the 15 games he appeared in.

While his role is more established at this point compared to last year, Bars knows the work doesn't stop.

"I've just got to keep working hard," he said. "Things might not always go your way, but if you stay at it, keep your grind and trust yourself and trust your technique and your hard work, good things can happen."

Bars was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame in 2009.

He would play three seasons in Chicago, ultimately making 11 starts in 38 games.

The Silver and Black open the preseason by hosting the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Aug. 13, at 4 p.m. EDT/1 p.m. PDT.

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