Windy City Gridiron
The Bears offensive line is greatly improved, but how stable is it for the future?
There isn’t one Chicago Bears fan I know who wants to go back and think about the situation surrounding their offensive line in 2024. Kiran Amedgadjie wasn’t ready. Ryan Bates couldn’t stay healthy. Nate Davis couldn’t try. There were plenty of issues.
Plenty has changed since 2024. The Bears have potentially as many as four new starters across their offensive line (at least three), and the talent level has been greatly improved.
The short-term plan is good, but how about the long-term? Let’s examine each position group across the offensive line and how this team sets up down the line.
Darnell Wright. Let’s start with the protectors on the outside, and let’s start with Darnell Wright. I would be shocked if Wright wasn’t seen as a long-term piece by Ben Johnson (and Ryan Poles). He’s entering his third year in the league, and he’s shown plenty of promise in the first two seasons despite having some very inconsistent play around him.
Wright is under control for three more seasons (two more on the rookie deal, plus the fifth-year option). If the Bears do plan to extend him, that’s something we should see get done at some point next year during the offseason. If, for whatever reason, the Bears still have some questions about handing Wright an extension (you have to figure this is going to be about 4 years and $100 to $110 million), they could wait until the 2027 offseason to extend him. But keep in mind, the longer you wait on extensions, the more expensive they get.
The expectation is that Wright is the starting right tackle in Chicago for at least the next 7 to 10 years.
Braxton Jones. The left tackle position certainly has more question marks. Looking short-term, it’s the only starting spot across the line that has questions. First, let’s call Jones what he is: he’s the best day-three pick Ryan Poles has made. He’s been an average left tackle while making $1 million a year. What Jones has been for a questionable offensive line has been critically important for the offense the last couple of seasons to even be functional.
But when you bring in the financial aspect of Jones, that’s where things get interesting, and there are two aspects to consider. The first is Jones' performance. Jones is a steal on a fifth-round rookie contract. But what would Jones make on the open market? Dan Moore is not as good as Braxton Jones. He just signed a 4-year deal worth $82 million. If the Bears had the funds, would you want to pay Jones that much? It certainly doesn’t seem like a good value against the salary cap.
Beyond that is the Bears’ cap situation. We just said the Bears need to put pen to paper with Darnell Wright and extend him in a year. If the Bears do extend Wright, the Bears will be...
