(670 The Score) In three years of roster building in Chicago, Bears general manager Ryan Poles has failed to solidify his team’s starting offensive line.
That's why Poles' biggest task this offseason is revamping nearly the entire line. Only right tackle Darnell Wright seems secure to return as a starter in 2025 after Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked an NFL-high 68 times as a rookie in 2024. That was eight sacks short of the NFL record for futility in a single season and an indictment of Poles' work in constructing the offensive line.
There are many avenues to go in the search for stability on the offensive line, so let's take a look at them.
Editor's note: This is the latest installment of our Bears offseason outlook series. You can read the previous breakdowns by clicking the links below.
Quarterback
Running back
Wide receiver
Tight end
Who’s back: Darnell Wright (24), Ryan Bates (28), Braxton Jones (26), Kiran Amegadjie (23), Joshua Miles (29), Chris Glaser (26), Jordan McFadden (26), Ricky Stromberg (25), Theo Benedet (24)
Free agents: Teven Jenkins (26), Coleman Shelton (29), Larry Borom (25), Jake Curhan (27), Doug Kramer (26), Matt Pryor (30)
Three of the Bears’ five starters on the offensive line last season – Jenkins at left guard, Shelton at center and Pryor at right guard – are set to become free agents.
All three are candidates to return to the Bears, but Jenkins was candid at the end of the 2024 season in indicating he may be best served with a fresh start elsewhere. A second-round pick in 2021, Jenkins has played at a high level when healthy but has struggled with a rash of injuries across four challenging years in Chicago.
Shelton started all 17 games for the Bears in 2024 and ranked 19th out of 64 NFL centers, according to Pro Football Focus grades. Center is a position the Bears could seek to upgrade. One player who could compete at center is Stromberg, a third-round pick of the Commanders in 2023 whom the Bears claimed off waivers late last season.
Signed to fill a reserve role, Pryor became the Bears’ full-time starting right guard after the team released inconsistent veteran Nate Davis in November. Pryor was a journeyman in arriving to Chicago but started 15 games and played some of his best football. If the Bears retain him, they'd likely do so with the vision of having him compete for the starting job rather than slotting him in as the immediate starter.
The Bears would be comfortable if Jones returns for a fourth season as their starting left tackle. He has proved to be a capable performer in 40 career NFL starts, but he plays a premium position that could benefit from an upgrade.
Wright is the Bears’ lone offensive lineman who's set in his starting role. He has impressed the team’s brass in his first two NFL seasons and has inspired hope of potentially becoming one of the league's top tackles.
What’s next?
In a couple weeks, Poles and the Bears will arrive in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine and begin to form a firm plan for their offensive line.
The Bears will evaluate the top prospects in this NFL Draft class, including tackles Will Campbell (LSU), Josh Simmons (Ohio State) and Kelvin Banks (Texas) and guards Armand Membou (Missouri) and Tyler Booker (Alabama).
In Indianapolis, Poles will also get a sense of how to play the free-agent market through conversations with NFL player agents. There are a number of offensive linemen who would be upgrades for the Bears, but one stands out above the rest.
That's 25-year-old guard Trey Smith, who's a strong candidate to hit free agency after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Chiefs. Kansas City will likely be in a salary cap crunch due to the hefty contracts already on its books and the standout young players it will need to give raises to. If he reaches free agency, Smith will be one of the best players available on the open market and command great interest.
Smith earned Pro Bowl honors this past season and could command a salary around $25 million annually. The Chiefs selected him in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft with a scouting brass that at the time included Poles.
The Bears’ goal to improve their offensive line should start with a pursuit of Smith. Should he sign with Chicago, the unit would be off to a good start in making a significant step forward.
Prediction: Bears will sign Smith, draft Campbell
The Bears regressed significantly in going 5-12 in 2024, and Williams didn't stand a chance. That has created a great sense of urgency for Poles to fortify the roster and address its weaknesses.
In past years, Poles has been careful in free agency, but the dynamic is different now.
Poles will utilize the Bears' salary cap space to sign Smith, then select Campbell with the No. 10 overall pick. In doing so, Chicago's offensive line will be well-positioned to be a potential strength for years to come.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.