If the Chicago Bears want to help their new quarterback, they need quality offensive linemen. Here are three prospects who can do that.
Now that the free agency frenzy has calmed down and Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles traded away Justin Fields, all the attention goes towards the upcoming NFL Draft in three weeks. With Fields gone, Poles will likely select USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the number one overall pick.
Since Poles is betting his job on Williams, he needs to do what he can to ensure the kid succeeds. One way to do that is to add protection. Over the past decade or more, the offensive line has been a sore spot for the team. In the past several seasons, the unit was ravaged by injuries and the depth wasn’t there to overcome it.
The Chicago Bears offensive line changed week by week last season. If it wasn’t one player going on injured reserve it was another who struggled. The interior of the line was especially hit hard. Each player on the interior line missed games due to injury. Additionally, right guard Nate Davis dealt with a family tragedy. Even when healthy, centers Lucas Patrick and Cody Whitehair struggled.
Left tackle Braxton Jones was decent. He also missed multiple games. With a new quarterback at the helm, Poles and the Chicago Bears need more than a decent blindside protector. He also needs to know the middle of the line is secure.
The only player on the line who was solid and did not go down with injury was Darnell Wright. In his rookie season, he played every snap in all 17 games. He did have an injury in Week 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders, but with everyone else down he had to grin and bear it. He ended up taking on one of the top edge rushers, Maxx Crosby, one-handed but did a good job of handling him.
Poles already made some changes
Poles made adjustments to the line already. He traded a draft pick to acquire guard/center Ryan Bates. Poles wanted to sign Bates in 2022 but the Buffalo Bills matched the offer and he stayed. Poles tried again and this time he got his man. Bates will likely be the swing guard and play center if needed.
The other lineman Poles picked up was Coleman Shelton. He’ll likely become the new starting center. He came over from the Los Angeles Rams, where new Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron also worked. Shelton is familiar with Waldron’s system.
Poles also signed Matt Pryor but unless he suddenly transformed himself this offseason, he is likely just a training camp body.
With that, the Chicago Bears still have a need at the offensive line. The unit is better but it still needs even more improvement. As mentioned earlier, Jones is a decent tackle. He can be a great depth piece, however. If Poles has a chance to pick up an elite left tackle he needs to get him.
Here are three offensive line prospects the Chicago Bears could target in the NFL Draft.
Graham Barton, Duke
With only four picks in the draft, Poles could decide to trade the ninth overall pick. He could pick up many more picks, both in this draft and in next year’s draft. We saw what Poles can do with the future picks. He used this year’s second-round pick to acquire defensive end Montez Sweat. He also used one in the previous year to pick up wide receiver Chase Claypool.
The Claypool trade blew up in Poles’ face. However, the Sweat deal looks great. Sweat helped transform the Chicago Bears’ defense when he got to town. Poles then re-signed him to a mega deal so he looks to anchor the defensive line for the foreseeable future.
Trading down in the first round would give Poles a shot at picking up Duke’s Graham Barton. Barton would give the Bears’ offensive line plenty of flexibility. He started as a center in his freshman season. However, he played the next three years as a left tackle. He has short arms, though, so he projects as an interior lineman.
Barton has the capability of playing all five positions on the line. His footwork is flawless. Even though his hand placement may not work, he has the footwork to make up for that. He will rarely be off-balanced. He allowed just four sacks in his four years at Duke.
Barton also has plenty of experience. He played on 2,569 snaps. There is not much a defender can do that will surprise him. Additionally, he is very athletic. He is quick and can mirror the defender well. He scored a 9.99 (out of 10) Relative Athletic Score, which measures athleticism. That ranked him third among 1,532 offensive guards between 1987 and 2024.
Graham Barton is a OG prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored a 9.99 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 3 out of 1532 OG from 1987 to 2024. https://t.co/zv1tlYy0ls pic.twitter.com/mLWEfjeSV6
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 2, 2024
This makes Barton the perfect prospect for Poles. he focuses on athletic prospects in the draft.
Kiran Amegadjie, Yale
Poles could wait until the third round and select a local kid. Since becoming general manager of the Chicago Bears he has picked up more than a few local prospects and players. Kiran Amegadjie comes from Hinsdale so he is well aware of the Chicago Bears’ history.
Amegadjie measures in at 6-foot-5, 323 pounds. He is also athletic. He has a quick first step so it helps him gain an advantage over the defender right away, blowing them vertically. Additionally, he also adds flexibility. He can play left guard or left tackle. With the injury trouble constantly hitting the Chicago Bears’ offensive line, that flexibility is crucial.
Amegadjie has great raw power and extraordinarily long arms (36 1/8 inches). Once he gets his arms out on the defender he can quickly lock him up. Furthermore, he can handle bull rushes. This is something Jones has struggled against in his two seasons. He shows a high IQ in his blocking. His intelligence was obvious as he went to Yale.
While other prospects get all the attention, Amegadjie could be a steal for the Chicago Bears. He has all the tools to have a long NFL career.
Joe Alt, Notre Dame
Joe Alt is as close to a perfect offensive lineman prospect as possible. He is a massive human being at 6-foot-9, 321 pounds. He is more athletic than someone that big should be, however. He had an amazing 5.05 40-time. In high school, he was a former tight end and the added weight did not hinder his athleticism.
Alt has great strength and gives him a jolt when he hits the defender in the chest. His quickness allows him to get a jump on the defender. His speed and quickness allow him to reach the second level and pummel the smaller targets. He does a great job of recognizing stunts and blitzes and already has an NFL-level pass-protection understanding.
Alt is just as good in run blocking as in pass protection. He gets off the snap and just moves bodies out of the way, opening up running lanes for the running backs. The Chicago Bears cannot depend on Fields’ running anymore (he led the team in rushing the last two seasons) so the running backs have to pick up the slack.
Alt also has the mean streak you want in your offensive lineman. He establishes his dominance quickly and lets you know you are in for a long day when playing against him.
Alt is projected to be a top-five prospect. However, there could be a run on quarterbacks and receivers. If that happens, he could be available at nine. If that happens, it would be difficult for the Chicago Bears to avoid him. Imagine having a generational quarterback and a generational blindside protector.
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