The Chicago Bears will look for offensive line help next week
The Chicago Bears will head into free agency next week with a wad of cash burning in general manager Ryan Poles’ pocket. The Bears have holes all over the roster, but nearly $95 million in cap space can help the Bears improve a few key positions ahead of April’s draft. The Bears are expected to sign help in the trenches this offseason, and one NFL insider suggested the Bears should go after a young talent for the offensive line.
Aaron Schatz with ESPN wrote a piece about one player every team must sign in free agency. Schatz thinks the Bears need to sign Jacksonville Jaguars right offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor:
“The Bears have a lot of needs. Protecting Justin Fields is certainly a big one. Fields runs his way into a lot of sacks, but the offensive line last season was not helping things. Improved run-blocking would also be a plus. Enter the 25-year-old Taylor, who was excellent for the Jaguars last season. SIS rated him worth 37 points earned, tying him with Lane Johnson for the top figure among right tackles, and he had only five charted blown blocks on running plays.”
Taylor’s youth is a plus, but his skills are meh though
Taylor’s age is a plus for the Chicago Bears. He would fit the young player profile the Bears need as they begin their rebuild after last season’s tear-down. However, he’s not exactly a sexy pick for the offensive line. Pro Football Focus gave Taylor a 58.7 overall grade for his play last season. He was graded harshly for his run-blocking ability, as Taylor earned a 39.7 grade in the running game. (Schatz used SIS for his report on Taylor’s run-blocking ability.)
While PFF considers his run game a problem, Taylor would provide a much-needed upgrade for pass blocking. He did well protecting Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, as he gave up just five sacks and 16 pressures during his 675 pass-blocking snaps in 2022. He’s consistently received green grades by PFF in pass blocking for three of his four NFL seasons.
Taylor would be a good choice for the Bears if they want to primarily build around the passing game for next season instead of worrying about run blocking. The Bears emphasized run blocking for the offensive line and wide receivers the team signed and kept last season. That led to an on-field disaster when the team needed to throw.
Taylor would be a step down from a left tackle the Bears have a chance to sign in free agency, Orlando Brown Jr. However, the Bears could sign Taylor for a lower price and use the savings to plug other holes in the roster.
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