The Philadelphia Eagles offered a strong blueprint for building a Super Bowl champion; building offensive and defensive lines capable of dominating along the line of scrimmage. But,the Chicago Bears have major holes along both units as this offseason begins.
Chicago will likely prioritize signing the top free agent guard available, and could look to the NFL Draft, where the Bears are slated to pick tenth overall in the first round either to add a disruptive presence along the defensive line or emerge with one of the premier offensive tackles in a loaded class at the position.
One of the top interior defensive linemen who could be an ideal scheme fit and target for the Bears, is Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham.
Why Mason Graham could be a top NFL Draft target for the Chicago Bears
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Chicago has struggled over the past two years to establish an interior pass rush, and were repeatedly gashed in the running game last season.
Selecting Graham could be a major step towards solving both issues while adding a potentially foundational building block caliber player at what is becoming a premium position.
Graham, 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds is a game-wrecker along the interior. Last season, he produced an elite 92.6 run-stopping grade from Pro Football Focus while posting one of the highest pass-rush win-rates in this draft class, at 13.8 percent.
The former four-star recruit out of Anaheim, Calif. finished last season with a career-high 45 total tackles to go with 3.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss, underscoring his ability to wreak havoc inside.
“Graham can be a nightmare for O-line coaches,” an NFL personnel director tells NFL.com. ‘Because the defense can line him up over the worst athlete inside.”
A potential plug-and-play impact starter along a unit in desperate need of it by the Bears, Graham could be in play for Chicago at pick No. 10.
Why the Chicago Bears might not draft Mason Graham
The Bears have plenty of needs, and just how aggressively Chicago pursues a meat-and-potatoes player such as Graham remains to be seen.
Likewise, how Poles and the front office weigh taking an offensive tackle, a defensive lineman such as Graham, or a luxury piece such as explosive playmaker Ashton Jeanty to drop at running back alongside Caleb Williams int he backfield is a bit of an open question.
Then, there’s the fact that there is a legitimate possibility that Graham could be long off the board before the Bears go on the clock.
How defensive-line needy teams such as the Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, or New Orleans Saints view Graham could be the litmus tests for whether Graham is even available for the Bears.
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