CHICAGO — The path the Chicago Bears must take to fix their struggling offensive line became abundantly clear after the first week of free agency.
At least one position – right guard – was addressed during the first wave when the Bears signed Nate Davis to a three-year, $30 million contract. But the market for offensive tackles, which the Bears were involved in early before passing on right tackle Mike McGlinchey, who went to Denver on a contract that pays him $17.5 million annually, dried up quickly.
“To improve our team, I think we’ve got to look to the draft,” general manager Ryan Poles said recently at the annual league meetings while addressing the team’s need at offensive tackle.
The Bears allowed pressure on a league-worst 39.5% of pass plays last season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. While some of the responsibility falls on quarterback Justin Fields, who held the ball for the second-longest time before passing at 3.12 seconds, that’s still the worst pressure percentage allowed in a season by any team since the 2018 Texans.
Fortunately for Chicago, which sits at No. 9 after sending the draft’s top selection to Carolina for four draft picks and wide receiver D.J. Moore, the chance to find a high-level offensive lineman could be the first box checked by Poles during the first round April 27 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC and ESPN App).
Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski, Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr., Georgia’s Broderick Jones and Tennessee’s Darnell Wright are considered the draft’s top offensive line prospects and have a strong likelihood of being available when Chicago is on the clock.
If that’s the case, how will the Bears evaluate their options on what to do and whom to pick? Here’s a look at the most pressing questions surrounding these O-line prospects, what their fit would be in Chicago and how Poles could potentially maneuver again in the first round while still landing a top offensive line prospect.
What does drafting an offensive tackle mean for Braxton Jones?
The Bears came away from the 2022 season pleased with the progress Jones made from FCS product (Southern Utah) to 17-game starter at left tackle. Jones played every snap (the only Bear to do so) and made his biggest contributions as a run-blocker while allowing seven sacks (40 total pressures).
In March, Poles said Jones was the team’s starting left tackle “for now.” The options the Bears may have at No. 9 to upgrade their left tackle position and bolster the protection around Fields could lead them to move Jones elsewhere.
“I think he can go on both sides,” coach Matt Eberflus said of Jones playing left or right tackle.
Johnson and Broderick Jones are considered the top two pure tackle prospects, having started 13 and 19 games at left tackle, respectively, during their collegiate careers. If the Bears draft either player with the expectation of them starting Week 1 at left tackle, Braxton Jones would pencil in at right tackle, a position held down by Riley Reiff for the majority of the 2021 season. Reiff signed with the Patriots during free agency.
Some believe that could end up being a better fit for Jones.
“I don’t necessarily think he needs to get a whole lot stronger,” offensive line analyst Brandon Thorn said. “I’m sure he will be coming from FCS, being in an NFL strength program. To me it’s more technique, it’s more a lack of quickness that gives him trouble at tackle. Speed rushers are able to kind of get him opened up and off balance, and then he struggles redirecting and that affects his anchor. I think ideally he’s your swing tackle, but in this situation, he will probably start again and my guess would probably be right tackle.”
ESPN senior draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. had the Bears selecting Tennessee’s Wright in his two-round mock draft 4.0 last week. Wright earned first-team All-SEC honors after 13 starts at right tackle in 2022. If the Bears were to play him at his most natural position, Jones could end up with another season to prove himself at left tackle.
“I like Wright’s opportunity with the Bears if we’re strictly looking at right tackles, since Braxton Jones held his own on the left side last season,” Kiper said. “Wright started 27 games at right tackle in college; his tape against Will Anderson Jr. and Alabama was phenomenal. He’s the best right tackle in this class.”
Is Skoronski a tackle or guard at the NFL level?
A lot of the conversation around the versatile Northwestern lineman stems from his 32 ¼ inch arm length measured at the NFL combine. Skoronski spent his college career at left tackle but may project best on the interior of the offensive line as a pro.
“The arm length with the height (6-foot-4) is a concern,” Kiper said. “You don’t usually have that in the NFL over the years, so you have to look at history and how that bodes for a player. But Skoronski’s versatility and how he played was great. His film evaluation grade was off the charts.”
Past examples of players with similar physical traits could foreshadow the path the Bears take should they draft Skoronski in Round 1.
“You could potentially have a really special guard, or you could have a solid to maybe above average tackle,” Thorn said. “I compared him to [Kansas City Chiefs guard] Joe Thuney. He played left tackle at NC State and he was really good, but the shorter arms thing is part of it. Just an ability to anchor against certain body types off the edge, Skoronski struggled with that a little bit. Thuney definitely did. And then you move him [Thuney] inside and you’ve got a total [elite player] in there that you don’t have to worry about. That’s kind of how I see Skoronski.”
The Bears could draft Skoronski and expect him to compete at tackle before eventually moving to guard or vice versa. Playing him on the interior would force the Bears to shuffle and address the tackle spot later in the draft or by bringing in a veteran to compete this offseason. Davis was brought in to play right guard, the only position he manned during four seasons with the Tennessee Titans, and the expectation is Teven Jenkins will move to left guard.
Would the Bears consider trading down?
The longer-term outlook would provide the Bears the ability to test any of these four prospects at more than just one position.
“All four guys are versatile in their own way, some have played multiple positions and played them pretty well,” Kiper said. “I think all the tackles are pretty close.”
Chicago is already planning a shuffle up front with its current group of offensive linemen. With Davis at right guard and Jenkins expected to slide over to left, Cody Whitehair should be back at center in 2023.
The uncertainty at offensive tackle and the ability to fill a major void makes it an intriguing option for the Bears at No. 9. After all, the position is one of the first round’s biggest strengths. And if Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who was at one time considered the top prospect in the draft, is not available for consideration when the Bears are on the clock in the first round, Poles could find himself in position to trade back and still land a top offensive lineman on Day 1.
“If they say, OK, Carter’s gone and all four offensive linemen are there and we’re splitting hairs between those four, they could move off of nine and move down just a bit and still get one,” Kiper said.
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