LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — Back in late August as the Bears wrapped up training camp, general manager Ryan Poles spoke with pride about his offensive line.
Though it still held uncertainty at the time, Poles believed the offensive line would be a great strength for his team.
“This is probably the best depth I’ve ever had,” Poles said then. “I actually let one of the guys go on cutdowns and I was like, ‘Man, you did an excellent job. I wish we could keep you here.’ He said, ‘This is the deepest room I’ve ever been a part of.' So, we have more versatility, more depth. Shoot, we have 10 guys, so I feel comfortable. Obviously, you want your starting five to be healthy and ready to go, but I feel more confident in the depth of our offensive line than I ever have before.”
The Bears have used 12 different players, including eight starters, on their offensive line this season. In the Bears' 30-12 loss to the Vikings on Monday, rookie left tackle Kiran Amegadjie struggled considerably in his first NFL start. It was symbolic of a unit that has been in flux all season.
The Bears have allowed rookie quarterback Caleb Williams to be sacked an NFL-high 58 times this season. Williams has been sacked on 11.1% of his dropbacks and pressured on 23.5% of those. Meanwhile, Chicago’s running game has regressed from being one of the NFL’s best ground attacks over the last two seasons to 21st in 2024.
The Bears (4-10) will host to the Lions (12-2) on Sunday at Soldier Field having already been eliminated from playoff contention. For all this team’s problems, there may be no more glaring positional weakness than the offensive line.
“Obviously, not good enough,” Bears offensive line coach Chris Morgan said recently of his unit's performance. “I mean, our record is what our record is. We got to finish strong and continue to try to get better.
“That’s their focus. That’s our team’s focus. And we’re moving forward.”
With three games remaining, the Bears have the opportunity to take inventory on their offensive line. That will be third-year general manager Ryan Poles' task, though his future leading football operations at Halas Hall has come into question recently.
A former offensive lineman himself who once signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent, Poles has struggled to solidify the team’s offensive line during his tenure in Chicago. Those issues have come into greater focus this season as the Bears have fallen well short of expectations.
Come this offseason, the Bears will need to make significant changes to improve their offensive line for the future. It’s possible that there will be four new starters stepping in on the Bears’ line in 2025. Let's break down the outlook at each position.
Left tackle
Current starter: Braxton Jones
Perhaps the greatest pound-for-pound draft success story of Poles’ tenure in Chicago is Jones, a fifth-round pick out of Southern Utah who has been a three-year starter at left tackle.
Jones' performance ranks 20th out of 55 eligible tackles in the NFL this season, according to Pro Football Focus grades, but he has missed nine games over the last two years while dealing with several injuries.
When healthy, Jones has been a reliable starter. But the Bears need to evaluate every aspect of their offensive line, and there’s no more important position than left tackle. Because of that, Jones is replaceable this offseason.
The Bears (4-10) will likely select in the top 10 of the 2025 NFL Draft – they're currently slotted at No. 9 overall entering Week 16 – so they should be in position to land one of the premier offensive tackle prospects in this class. Will Campbell (LSU) and Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas) are the top options available at the position.
Left guard
Current starter: Teven Jenkins
The Bears' hope in 2024 was for Jenkins to have a strong, healthy campaign that left no doubt that he’s worthy of a contract extension. As the end of the season nears, the results have been mixed.
Jenkins, 26, has played a career-high 13 games this season, but he has also landed on the injury report often. This week, Jenkins is dealing with a calf injury. It remains to be seen whether it will linger.
Jenkins' performance ranks 14th out of 56 eligible guards, according to Pro Football Focus. When healthy, he's one of the better guards in the game, but the Bears haven’t been able to count on that, as he missed a combined 20 games from 2021-'23.
To make matters more complicated for the Bears, Jenkins’ backup was intended to be Ryan Bates, who has played in just three games (making two starts) this season. Bates has been in the concussion protocol for the last four games.
There’s a case to be made for retaining Jenkins on a short-term deal this offseason given his upside while also understanding the inherent injury risk. But the Bears may be inclined to simply move on.
Center
Current starter: Coleman Shelton
The veteran Shelton signed a one-year deal back in March with the expectation to compete with Bates for the starting spot, but Bates’ injury troubles established Shelton as the Bears’ starting center.
Shelton ranks as the 12th-best center in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus grades. He struggled considerably early on but has since settled into his role.
Shelton, 29, has improved with each season in the league. An undrafted free agent in 2018, Shelton spent time with the 49ers, Titans and Cardinals before earning an opportunity with the Rams. He started for Los Angeles in 2022 and 2023.
The Bears should bring Shelton back on a new contract this offseason, though not as their anointed starter at center. This position needs to be open for an upgrade, including in the NFL Draft.
The Bears have an internal option to potentially consider in Ricky Stromberg, a third-round pick of the Commanders in 2023. Stromberg was claimed off waivers by the Bears in November. He’s considered a developmental player.
Right guard
Current starter: Matt Pryor
This position was supposed to be held down by veteran Nate Davis, but the Bears released him in November after a frustrating, abbreviated tenure. Davis was in the second season of a three-year, $30-million deal.
Davis played in just 16 games across two seasons for the Bears before he was released. His time in Chicago was marked by a struggle to stay healthy and internal friction with the team’s coaching staff. Davis’ release was symbolic more than anything.
Signed as a reserve last offseason, Pryor has started 12 games for the Bears, spending time at both at tackle and guard. He assumed Davis’ place at right guard early in the season as Davis was initially relegated to a backup role.
Pryor ranks 22nd among 56 guards, according to Pro Football Focus. He has rated as one of the top pass-blocking guards in the league this season.
It's unlikely Pryor will be back with the Bears unless it’s in a reserve role. The right guard position is open for business this offseason.
Right tackle
Current starter: Darnell Wright
This is the one position on the Bears’ offensive line that shouldn't be a question for 2025.
The 23-year-old Wright has made significant strides in his second NFL season, and that has caught Morgan's attention.
“Darnell’s going to be a rather good player,” Morgan said. “Like, he’s going to be a really good player. He knows it. He’s hungry for it.”
Wright ranks 17th out of 55 tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. The No. 10 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Wright has started 30 of a possible 31 games in his NFL career. He played every single offensive snap as a rookie last season.
Wright has proved to be a dependable, developing tackle whose future appears bright. He could be a mainstay for the Bears well into the future, and he's the lineman whose place for 2025 seems certain.
Emma's prediction (9-5): Lions 31, Bears 26
The Lions are one of the best teams in the NFL, but their defense is decimated. As bad as it has been for the Bears, they'll hang tough at home – but suffer a ninth straight loss.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.