There was a lot of work for Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles to do this offseason. Chicago finished with the worst record in the NFL last season, going 3-14 and landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
In a position to select a new franchise quarterback the newest regime could call theirs, the Bears opted to go a different route. Instead of replacing Justin Fields, they opted to commit to him by trading the No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers and upgrading the roster around him.
One of the areas that needed the most work was the offensive line. Despite playing in only 15 games in 2022 and having remarkable athleticism to escape the pocket, Fields was sacked a league-high 55 times.
If this team was going to make any strides, improving in the trenches was imperative. As a former offensive lineman, Poles knows how important it is and he made some changes. Nate Davis was signed in free agency to help on the interior, with the biggest addition coming during the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Bears ended up picking No. 10 after a second trade, this time with the Philadelphia Eagles. With that pick, Chicago selected Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright. Wright quickly set the tone with comments he made about protecting Fields at all times and will bring a level of toughness and nastiness that every offensive line unit needs.
The former Volunteer has been turning heads at offseason practices as well. Not only is he physically imposing at 6’6” and 335 pounds, but he also has athleticism not normally possessed by someone of his size.
“He fell down [during an OTA practice] and did this somersault,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “And it was the most graceful somersault I’ve ever seen a 330-pound player do. It was pretty impressive. I was like, ‘Damn, that’s pretty good.'”
Wright is currently penciled in for the starting right tackle spot, which has solidified the Bears’ offensive line. For the first time in a long time, they are set heading into training camp on the five-man group that will be their starters.
There is only so much Fields and the skill position players can do if the offensive line isn’t getting the job done in the trenches. Improvement along the offensive line will help the entire offense elevate their game to another level.
