While the Chicago Bears massively bolstered their offensive line during the offseason, left tackle still remains a question mark. Braxton Jones is penciled in for the starting role, but injuries have firmly placed him on the hot seat.
Especially with the Bears holding the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. They’re in a position to select one of the top flight offensive linemen in the class. Missouri’s Armand Membou is one of those players and a lineman consistently connected to the Bears.
His athleticism was on full display at the NFL combine, rocketing Membou up draft boards. However, there are some question marks to his game. However, many around the league believe the lineman will need to switch to guard at the NFL level, via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. While Chicago may have guard needs in the future, the Bears are looking for a player who can make an immediate difference at No. 10.
“Based on what I’ve heard, Membou is likelier to wind up playing guard in the NFL than left tackle,” Biggs wrote. “My hunch is if a team chooses him in the top half of Round 1, it would be with the idea of playing him at right tackle first, unless that team is set at that position.”
“I can tell you that early in the college season, some NFL teams were looking at him as a guard at the next level,” Biggs continued. “I think teams are a little more open-minded now, but opinions of Membou vary. One national scout I chatted with last week said Membou is pretty raw and there’s some boom or bust to drafting him high in Round 1. He noted the upside and athleticism but said he saw considerable inconsistency both in person and on the tape he evaluated.”
Chicago Bears weigh Armand Membou decision
Chicago’s pick is probably a bit too high to be playing a guessing game. If the Bears think Membou is too risky of an add, they’ll likely look elsewhere. However, the offensive lineman’s athleticism is certainly tantalizing. Especially with the next wave of pass rushers entering the NFL.
At the combine, Membou ran a 4.9 40-yard dash and had a 1.74 10-yard split time. Furthermore, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com lauded his body control while still using his speed to his advantage.
“Membou plays with composed quickness and elite body control” Zierlein wrote. “He delivers good pop on contact and has the range to spring runs with blocks in space.”
But for all the plusses on Membou, there are some glaring negatives. He is a bit undersized at 6-foot-4 and it may take some time for him to get truly acclimated to the NFL. Especially if teams plan on playing him at left tackle. Overall, selecting Membou is taking a chance on his athleticism and hoping your training program will help him best utilize his strengths.
Perhaps that is a gamble the Bears are willing to take. However, if they’re targeting a left tackle at No. 10, Membou may not be the answer.
Braxton Jones entering make-or-break season
The entire reason Membou has been connected to the Bears is due to the status of Jones. He is expected to enter training camp limited to his ankle injury. Former third-round pick Kiran Amegadjie is the only other option. It’s clear Chicago needs a bit more help at the position.
It’s not like Jones has been terrible when he’s on the field. He earned a solid 77.4 grade from Pro Football Focus in 2024, ranking 20/141 tackles. However, he was still a member of an offensive line that allowed a league-high 68 sacks in 2024. New head coach will be evaluating all aspects of his blocking scheme.
The biggest red flag on Jones has been his injuries. His aforementioned ankle injury limited him to just 12 games. That came after Jones appeared in just 11 games in 2023. As he enters 2025, Jones’ goal – outside of keeping quarterback Caleb Williams upright in the pocket – is simply staying on the field.
That will become much tougher if the Bears bring in Membou or another star offensive linemen in the draft. If they do go offensive line at No. 10, Chicago will take arguably their biggest weakness and turn it into a real area of strength on the team.
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