Chicago Bears considered favorites to land quality offensive lineman in 2024

While most people feel the Chicago Bears will look for a defensive end, they could decide to find an offensive lineman who can help Caleb Williams.

Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles did an incredible job of building the roster. Last offseason, he overhauled the defense. Now that unit is on the cusp of becoming elite. This season, he overhauled the offense. Now the offense looks like it could take off and become a point-scoring machine.

Poles has done an incredible job rebuilding the Chicago Bears roster since 2022. He first tore it down, adding low-cost, lower-talent players. He then had plenty of salary cap space and lucked out to end up with the number one pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. He then made a franchise-changing trade which gave the team another number one pick in 2024.

A few draft picks, notable trades, and free agent signings later, the Chicago Bears are ready to take its place as playoff contenders.

Of course, the job still is not done. There are still holes in the roster. For example, many people are speculating that Poles is still looking for a defensive end to complement Montez Sweat. Poles drafted Austin Booker, but with only 580 total snaps in college, he could still be a project.

Depending on what happens with Booker and the other defensive ends performing in training camp, Poles could find a veteran pass rusher. There are still a few available free agents available and they will soon start to sign with teams. Poles could be on the lookout for one.

However, if Poles feels comfortable with his pass rush, he could go elsewhere for help. He has spent some of his assets on the offensive line. He brought in Matt Pryor, Ryan Bates, and Coleman Shelton through trades or free agency. Additionally, he drafted Kiran Amegadjie in the third round in this year’s NFL Draft.

Bates and Shelton are fighting for the center job. However, is the winner of the battle not yet on the roster?

There is a concern about the right guard spot. Nate Davis signed as a free agent last season. However, he had a nightmare season. He dealt with a death in the family that kept him out. When he did come back, he suffered an injury that kept him out even more.

The team thought that with the offseason Davis could handle his personal situation and also get healthy. That did not happen, though. He did not attend OTAs. That usually is not a problem since OTAs are voluntary. However, it would have been nice to have him there so he could play with a new system and adjust to his new teammates.

Then, in the mandatory minicamp, many expected him to attend and finally get some work. He did attend, but he did not practice. He also had a walking boot on the foot he injured late last season. That raised a lot of new flags among many.

The team was reportedly frustrated. The coaching staff started to use different players at right guard. There were rumors of the Chicago Bears feeling that replacing him is becoming an option. That would mean that either Bates or Shelton could end up there.

Both players have experience at guard. Bates was a starter in 2022 but lost his job and has not played there since. He could be a great option at guard. Poles and the Chicago Bears might also look for another option. The left guard spot could also be a concern.

Teven Jenkins is a good player when he is there. The problem is that there are big chunks of time in which he is not there. He has a long history of injuries. He has not played a full season and has gone on injured reserve in all three of his seasons. The Bears have to have a plan for when he goes down again.

The Chicago Bears could go with another offensive piece instead of defense

That means the Chicago Bears could go after a center, especially a good one. Many have made them the odds-on favorites to go after and sign Connor Williams. Williams was the Dallas Cowboys’ second-round pick in the 2018 draft. He was a big part of the Cowboys’ offensive line.

In 2022, Williams signed with the Miami Dolphins. There he had the same success. He has played both center and guard. He even played some tackle as well. He suffered an ACL injury in Week 14 of last season that has teams skittish about pursuing him.

WIlliams is on track to attend training camp and be ready for the start of the 2024 season. He has yet to be signed, but as training camps around the league begin teams will look deeper into him. They will make sure the medicals are clean and some team will make him an offer.

Many feel that the Chicago Bears could be that team. While Poles likes Bates and Shelton, Williams could be the perfect player to help rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. He is a very good center who is still relatively young at 27. If he shows that he is over his injury he could be an integral part of the offense.

Connor Williams can come in and become a leader on the offensive line. He has the experience to be a leader. He is strong and athletic, and he can lead the young quarterback. He will do a great job of calling the offensive blocking schemes and can guide the younger Williams.

The Chicago Bears have plenty of salary cap space to sign Williams. They still have over $21.5 million to spend. It might not take too much to sign WIlliams. He could be had at a discount rate so he can prove he is over his injury. If they could have him at a good price Poles might not be able to resist him.

We saw that Poles’ priority this offseason was offense. He went after his quarterback and set the offense up so the rookie could succeed. Signing one more piece to help the quarterback seems like a no-brainer for the Chicago Bears.

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