The different ways how the Chicago Bears can rebuild their offensive line

The Chicago Bears could learn two lessons while watching the Super Bowl Sunday.

The first is how a strong and relentless pass rush can be a catalyst for defensive success and lead a team to a Super Bowl title. The second is how important a strong offensive line is when it comes to supercharging an offense.

Well, the Bears have already figured out how important lesson No. 2 is by allowing 68 sacks in a single season with an offensive line that did not live up to its expectations. The Super Bowl just reinforced that fact, especially as the Eagles decimated the Chiefs with a ferocious pass rush.

The Bears need to rebuild their offensive line. Here are the different ways they can build it. 

Where the Chicago Bears' offensive line stands 

First things first, the Bears don't have to rework the entire line. They have at least one starting spot locked in. Here's where the Bears' offensive line stands.

Offensive line coach, Dan Rouschar

The Chicago Tribune first reported the Bears are expected to hire Roushar as their new offensive line coach from Tulane. He was the New Orleans Saints' offensive line coach from 2016 to 2020 and spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons coaching the offensive line at Tulane.

Who could be leaving

The Bears have three players who saw plenty of playing time in 2024 that might not be back in 2025. Reserve tackle Larry Borom, reserve lineman Jake Curhan, center Coleman Shelton, right guard Matt Pryor and left guard Teven Jenkins are all free agents.

There hasn't been any signal pointing out whether most of those players would be back or not. Jenkins is the one who made it sound like there's a good chance he will leave the Bears in free agency, saying it's a "toss up" on what he wants in free agency back in January. Pryor took over the starting job when the Bears began moving on from Nate Davis.

Who's staying

So far, the Bears have at least two players under contract for next season on the offensive line in Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones. Wright is locked in as a starter at right tackle and will be for the foreseeable future. Jones' starting spot at left tackle isn't solidified, especially as the Bears openly pondered adding competition at left tackle in the pre-draft process last year and if the Bears select a lineman with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Either way, Jones and Wright will be there. 

Other than those two, the Bears did claim Jordan McFadden on waivers from the Chargers, 2024 third-round pick Kiran Amegadije will try to figure in the starting lineup and guard/center Ryan Bates is still under contract. 

However, the odds are the Bears will have to replace multiple positions on the offensive line.

"We will certainly talk about acquiring talent to bolster that unit as well," Johnson said. "I was certainly blessed the last few years with the men that I worked with, and that was something I would love to replicate here as well."

Building the Bears' offensive line

There are two ways to piece together a Bears' offensive line: No. 1 NFL free agency, which opens in March, and No. 2 the NFL Draft. 

NFL free agents 

The fastest way for the Bears to build an offensive line is through free agency. 

The NFL Draft is the best way to add younger talent who could be with the Bears long-term, but the best way to add players who can play right away is by adding players who have experience. That comes in free agency.

Trey Smith

Undoubtedly, the one player on Bears fans' minds will be Smith. Fresh off playing in the Super Bowl, Smith was one of the best right guards in the NFL and will command to be paid as such. The Bears have the money to pay him and would be wise to do so in order to solidify their right guard position for the long-term.

Aaron Banks

The Bears also have to fill their left guard spot, and Banks is a player who could be in play. The Notre Dame alum is 28 and played 71.8 percent of the snaps for the 49ers this season. It might depend on what happens with Smith in free agency – a massive contract for one player could nix the Bears pursuing others – but Banks is a player the Bears could fall back on if Smith opts to remain in Kansas City or signs elsewhere.

Drew Dalman

Seen as the best-available center in free agency this spring, Dalman might remain in Atlanta. However, the Falcons don't have much cap room to spare and already owe plenty of money to other offensive linemen. Much like Banks, it depends how much the Bears spend elsewhere if they also want to court a player like Dalman to solidify their line.

Zack Martin, Brandon Scherff and Ryan Kelly

Martin, Scherff and Kelly are similar as they're veteran players who were once seen as the best in the game. Scherff signed a three year, $49.5 million contract in 2022 with the Jaguars after Washington franchise tagged him for two seasons prior. Kelly had a base salary of $11.3 million and still might command $10 million or so with a short-term deal. Kelly and Martin do come with injury risks, though, as they only played 55.3 and 54.6 percent of their snaps, respectively, in 2024. 

However, it would be good to have a veteran on the offensive line much like Ben Johnson had in Detroit with guard Kevin Zeitler last season. Zeitler was a former first-round pick who played for four NFL teams before signing with the Lions ahead of the 2024 season. Zeitler is also a free agent this season.

Could the Bears re-sign one of their linemen from 2024?

The Bears might opt for a fresh start all across the line, but one player that has the best chance of sticking with the team beyond 2025 is backup offensive lineman Matt Pryor. Pryor has the ability to play both tackle and guard, and that versatility was paramount when the Bears suffered a handful of injuries on their offensive line. Pryor played at a starter level when he took over at right guard, which helps his case if he wants to come back.

It depends on how the Bears viewed Shelton's play, but he wasn't the weakest link on the offensive line last season. It would make sense if the Bears opted for a veteran center, although Shelton might move on entirely himself.

NFL Draft

What to make of the offensive line prospects

In this draft, there are five prospects to know for the first round:

• Kelvin Banks Jr.
• Will Campbell
• Armand Membou
• Josh Simmons
• Trey Booker

These are all players who have the best chances of hearing their name called at No. 10 overall by the Bears if they opt to draft an offensive lineman with that pick. The Bears may very well opt to select a premium talent at another position there, but the offensive line is too glaring of a need to pass over in the first round and the Bears' front office has been open about adding talent.

The fact of the matter is, the Bears need more players on their line that can be considered the long-term future of the offensive line. 

Four of the five starters on the Eagles' offensive line, arguably the best in the NFL, were drafted by Philadelphia. Even Jordan Mailata was a seventh round selection in 2018 the Eagles developed into a starter.

The Bears will most likely take one of the top prospects in the draft to be one of their long-term linemen. That's what Detroit did to build their offense, and it makes sense to think the Bears would follow Detroit's model which built a formidable offensive line which can pass block and run block at a high level.

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