The Chicago Bears hold seven picks in this year’s draft. They have the 10th overall pick, 39th, 41st, 72nd, 148, 233 & 240. Thanks to what they were able to accomplish thus far in the offseason, they are not in a position where they are drafting strictly for need. They can take a “best player available” approach with all their picks

Over the next several weeks I’ll spotlight every position group, with the exception of quarterback (the Bears won’t draft one) and specialists (aka kickers, punters and long snappers)

In this piece, I’ll focus on the offensive line.

OFFENSIVE TACKLES

I’m of the opinion that the Bears need to come out of this draft with a new left tackle. This isn’t a knock on Braxton Jones who has been a solid left tackle and has far outperformed his draft status as a fifth round pick.

The fact is, I think this is Braxton Jones’ last year in Chicago. Serviceable left tackles get paid in free agency. Tennessee gave Dan Moore 50 million guaranteed and an average annual salary north of 20 million. Jones is a superior player, are the Bears willing to come close to that price tag next offseason? My hunch says no.

So, I think the Bears will be proactive and formulate the succession plan a year early. They can pick a left tackle and not have to rush him into the starting lineup. If he beats out Jones for the job, so be it.

Let’s look at the offensive tackles that I think should be on the Bears radar:

Round One

I think there are only three offensive tackles the Bears should consider on the first day of the draft. First, and foremost is LSU’s Will Campbell.

Quite simply, if Campbell is available at ten, the Bears need to make that pick. He’s the best offensive lineman in the draft, period. There are some concerns about his arm length and whether or not he can handle being a tackle in the NFL. I believe he can.

It’s not like Campbell dominated inferior competition in college. He played in the powerhouse SEC, matching up with future NFL pass rushers on a weekly basis. His arm length was never an issue and I don’t think it will be in the NFL either.

But, just to play devil’s advocate, suppose Campbell’s short arms do prohibit him from sticking at left tackle, what then? Well, the Bears would still have a perennial All Pro guard.

But, the Bears just traded for two starting guards. This is true, but Joe Thuney is 32 and Jonah Jackson is coming off a disastrous season in LA. To say the Bears have the guard position locked down for the foreseeable future would be foolish.

But, I digress. Campbell will be a more than solid NFL left tackle, which is why I don’t think he’ll be available when the Bears go on the clock on day one of the draft.

Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr is another college left tackle that some believe may have to transition to guard. Again, I disagree. I think Banks can be a quality left tackle in the NFL, but I wouldn’t take him at ten. There will be better players available, at positions of near equal importance.

Even if the Bears trade down four to five spots, I think there will be better players on the board. Trading back further, probably takes them out of Banks’ range.

Ohio State’s Josh Simmons is one prospect that doesn’t face questions about whether or not he’s an NFL left tackle. The concerns about Simmons deal with the season ending knee injury he suffered last year.

Fully healthy, Simmons might be discussed alongside Campbell as first offensive lineman off the board. Even given a clean bill of health, I’m not sure the Bears should consider him at ten, but he could be a target if the Bears trade down.

Some may question my exclusion of Missouri’s Armand Membou. Membou is certainly worthy of a first round pick, but he’s been an exclusively right tackle throughout his career. The Bears already have a very good right tackle in Darnell Wright.

The Bears better be damn sure Membou can transition to the left side if they would pick him. If he can’t, they’ve wasted their first round pick. Some analysts believe he can make the move to the left side, I’m not confident enough to want the Bears to make that gamble.

Day Two

Because I think the Bears should only be targeting left tackles in the early rounds, Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr is the only tackle I think is worth a day two pick.

Conerly is raw, but his potential is vast. Watch the tape of the Penn State game and see how he fared against Abdul Carter, the consensus top pass rusher in the class.

Conerly might be the perfect prospect for the Bears. With Braxton Jones still around, there’s no rush for him to be inserted into the lineup. He can get acclimated to the pro game and get hands on teaching from one of the best offensive line coaches in football, Dan Roushar.

The Bears have shown significant interest in Conerly, so it appears they are targeting him. He could be available when the Bears go on the clock on day two.

However, there’s a chance he could go earlier, even at the tail end of the first round. It’s fair to wonder what price the Bears are willing to pay to land him.

The other offensive tackles with a day two grade are all strictly right tackles. I don’t believe the Bears should consider what would essentially be a swing tackle until day three.

Day Three Prospects

The case of former fifth round pick Braxton Jones notwithstanding, landing a year one starter on the offensive line on day three is not likely. Any player taken in rounds 4-7 are merely depth pieces with the potential to develop into starters. Some names to consider:

• Anthony Belton, NC State
• Ozzy Trapilo, Boston College
• Charles Grant, William & Mary
• Trey Wedig, Indiana
• Jack Nelson, Wisconsin
• Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, Florida

INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

The Bears did a marvelous job rebuilding the interior of their offensive line with the acquisitions of Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and the signing of Drew Dalman. Depth is needed and there is Thuney’s age and Jackson’s awful 2024 to consider. Also, none of the three new interior offensive linemen for the Bears are signed for more than three years.

The Bears shouldn’t be looking at interior offensive linemen in the first round, but there are some worth considering on day two.

Day Two

There is one guy I think the Bears should consider in the second round, if he makes it that far and that is North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel.

I’m a really big fan of Zabel. He can play all five positions across the offensive line. He could be a serviceable tackle or a dominant guard or center. He would provide the Bears with valuable and versatile depth until such time as he joins the starting lineup on a full time basis.

I think Zabel likely lands in the first round, but if he should be there when the Bears go on the clock on day two, he might well be the best player available. It’s worth considering.

Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson should be available to the Bears in the second round, but I’d argue that he probably wouldn’t be the best player available.

Georgia’s Jared Wilson is the best pure center in the draft and worth consideration in the third round. Other players to consider in the third are Arizona’s Jonah Savaiinaea, Purdue’s Marcus Mbow, West Virginia’s Wyatt Milum & Georgia’s Tate Ratledge.

I’m especially intrigued by Mbow’s potential and Ratledge’s bulldog tenacity.

Day Three Prospects

Just like with tackles, day three picks are depth pieces with the potential for growth. Some players to remember:

• Dylan Fairchild, Georgia
• Jackson Slater, Sacramento State
• Garrett Dellinger, LSU
• Luke Kandra, Cincinnati
• Miles Frazier, LSU
• Clay Webb, Jacksonville State
• Joshua Gray, Oregon State
• Willie Lampkin, North Carolina
• Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State
• Jonah Monheim, USC
• Jake Majors, Texas
• Jacob Gideon, Western Michigan

I expect the Bears to start day three of the draft with a left tackle already in tow. If I was a betting man, my money would be on Josh Conerly Jr with their first pick of the second round.

I will say that I will be watching the first round with bated breath. If New England passes on Will Campbell, there’s a slight chance he makes it to ten. As I stated before, the Bears need to sprint that card to Roger Goodell if he’s available.

I don’t expect the Bears to draft an interior lineman until day three of the draft, if at all. One intriguing late round name is Jonah Monheim of USC. He was Caleb Williams’ college center.