While it’s not clear if running back Ashton Jeanty is the Chicago Bears’ top NFL Draft target, arguably no player has been connected more to the team leading up to the event. It’s easy to see why based on how the Bears altered their franchise during the offseason.
With Ben Johnson as their new head coach, Chicago is looking to be more explosive on offense. Furthermore, they brought in three new offensive lineman, making an actual resurgence more realistic. If Jeanty were to land with the Bears, he would immediate be put in a position to succeed and counting on as the team’s new rushing leader.
But Chicago isn’t the only franchise that has been connected to Jeanty. Plenty of industry-wide mock drafts have him going as high as No. 6 to the Las Vegas Raiders. If that selection comes to fruition, the Bears must have a backup plan ready.
It’s not like running back is the only hole on their roster. Holding the No. 10 overall pick, Chicago will still be in line for an elite talent even if it isn’t the Heisman runner-up. As they develop their draft strategy, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated thinks the team would circle back to offensive line should they be unable to select Jeanty.
“I would say finding help on the interior of the defensive line would be good. Ditto for the idea of difference-making running back. But if Mason Graham and Ashton Jeanty are gone, I’m not sure there’s a guy at either of those spots worthy of going at 10,” Breer wrote. “So, that leads you back to … the offensive line.”
“Yes, the Bears dealt for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and signed center Drew Dalman,” Breer continued. “But left tackle Braxton Jones, a nice find for the Bears in the fifth round in 2022, is heading into a contract year and has a new set of coaches evaluating him. If he’s not seen as the answer, tackle would be in play. That’s why I think 10 is the floor for LSU’s Will Campbell, and could be a landing spot for Texas’s Kelvin Banks Jr.”
Chicago Bears double down on offensive line
Chicago saw quarterback Caleb Williams get sacked a league-high 68 times in 2024. To help remedy the issue, they traded for guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney before signing Drew Dalman in free agency. Bookended by tackles Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones, the Bears look vastly improved up front heading into 2025.
Thuney comes to Chicago with four Super Bowl titles to his name. Furthermore, he has been named an All-Pro in back-to-back seasons. He’ll be a key piece of the Bears’ resurrection. Jackson isn’t as heralded as Thuney, but he did make the Pro Bowl in 2021. Then, he was being coached by Johnson on the Detroit Lions. With Johnson moving so quickly to add Jackson, it’s clear the head coach still has high hopes. Dalman will bring some extra hype as well after finishing the 2024 season ranked fourth/64 centers with a 78.8 grade from Pro Football Focus. Only 26-years-old, he will be the offensive line centerpiece in Chicago for the foreseeable future.
Wright has secured the same role at right tackle, proving to be a force ever since his arrival in 2023. During the 2024 campaign, he ranked 16/141 tackles with an impressive 79.3 grade from PFF. Jones is the only question mark remaining across the line. Injuries have held him back from reaching his ceiling. However, he has shown flashes of brilliance and is still in line to reclaim his starting role assuming his health checks out.
Ultimately, the Bears must find a way to put all the puzzle pieces together. But after a rocky rookie season from Williams, Chicago is more well equipped to protect him entering 2025.
Who Bears can target
There have been a plethora of offensive lineman named as potential Bears fits at No. 10. For the sake of this argument, Breer specifically mentioned LSU’s Will Campbell and Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr.
Campbell is considered arguably the best offensive lineman in the class and has been mocked as high as No. 4 to the New England Patriots. Named a starter entering his freshman year, Campbell went on to start 37 games for the team. He ended his time at LSU being named the Jacobs Blocking Trophy award winner and a Consensus All-American. While arm length has been a red flag, no one is doubting Campbell’s ability to block.
Banks’ draft status has been a bit all over the map, but there is no doubting he is a first-round pick. He shares a lot of similarities with Campbell, being named a starter going into his freshman season. Furthermore, Banks shared the Jacobs Blocking Trophy while also taking home the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award during a Unanimous All-American season. So many accolades to say Banks is projected to be a stout blocker at the highest level.
Either player would bolster the Bears in the trenches. And if Jeanty isn’t available, Chicago’s best bet may be building their Williams’ protection for the future.
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