The Chicago Bears need as much help as possible up front to protect Caleb Williams in his second NFL season this fall. Williams was sacked a league-high 68 times in his rookie year, which is something that the Bears office does not want to see repeated in 2025.
The former number one overall pick still became the first quarterback in franchise history to throw for over 3,000 yards in his rookie season, so the sky is the limit for him if he can get some time to operate in the pocket. At the moment, it looks like Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright will be the only returners to the offensive line for the upcoming season. Wright is solidified as the team’s right tackle, and Jones will remain at left tackle for the time being.
The real help needed in Chicago is in the interior of the line. The center position hasn’t been figured out by the organization in years, and the guards have been injury prone. Bringing in one of the best guards in all of football would put an end to these issues rather quickly.
Another report is out linking Trey Smith to the Chicago Bears
Trey Smith is the hottest commodity on the offensive line market this offseason. The Chiefs’ guard has a 78.8 overall PFF grade this season, the 14th best amongst all guards in the NFL. Smith is the tenth best run blocker according to PFF and is in the top-35 when it comes to pass protection.
NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN has more reason to believe that the Smith to Chicago buzz is very real, if Kansas City lets him hit the open market. Fowler mentioned in his report that many teams not only see Smith as the best offensive lineman available in free agency, they see him as the best overall free agent in the entire class.
Fowler believes that Bears’ general manager Ryan Poles can play a massive factor in Smith’s recruiting to Chicago thanks to his time in the Chiefs front office. The Bears have nearly $70 million in cap space to work without cutting anyone on their roster, which makes Smith a realistic option for them to go after if he slips out of Kansas City’s grip.
The Chicago Bears need more than just Trey Smith up front
Smith would be a massive step in the right direction for the Chicago Bears offensive line, but more work would need to be done. When addressing the center position, Drew Dalman would be perfect for the Bears. The 26-year-old has spent his entire career with the Falcons thus far after being a fourth round draft pick in 2021.
Dalman was graded as the fourth best center by PFF in 2024 with a 78.8 overall grade. His run blocking grade of 79.8 ranked fifth among his counterparts, which is exactly what the Bears need. Dalman kept things clean in 2024, as he finished with only three penalties on the campaign.
The Stanford product is projected to receive a nice pay raise this offseason. One projection has Dalman making over $11 million per year over the course of four seasons. Chicago might not want to spend that much at center, but the front office certainly has the resources to do so. Similar to Smith, Dalman would plug a massive need up front that Chicago would not have to worry about for years to come.
The Chicago Bears will have more cap space than originally anticipated this offseason
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