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The Chicago Bears are in the middle of an important offseason, where they’re looking to develop into a contender under new head coach Ben Johnson.
Following a busy free agency that included some big-name additions, including offensive linemen Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman, as well as defensive linemen Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo, the Bears are shifting their focus toward the 2025 NFL draft.
Chicago has seven draft picks, even after their two trades, including four in the Top 75 — 10th overall, a pair of high second rounders and a third-round selection.
Here at Bears Wire, we’re going position by position to break down where Chicago stands entering the 2025 NFL draft. Rounding out the offense is the offensive line, a group that looks drastically different following the start of free agency, but they could still use one more piece.
Who’s on the roster?
- Braxton Jones
- Joe Thuney
- Joe Dalman
- Jonah Jackson
- Darnell Wright
- Kiran Amegadjie
- Ryan Bates
- Doug Kramer
- Theo Benedet
- Bill Murray
- Jordan McFadden
- Chris Glaser
- Ricky Stromberg
The Bears starting offensive line looks drastically different now than it did at the end of the season. General manager Ryan Poles didn’t waste any time getting to work rebuilding the line, acquiring Thuney and Jackson for mid-round picks, and signing Dalman to a three-year deal on the first day of free agency. Thuney is a perennial All-Pro and should be a tremendous mentor to everyone on the line, while Jackson has proven to Bears head coach Ben Johnson that he can be a reliable protector during their days in Detroit. Dalman, meanwhile, brings experience and athleticism to the center position and will be a key factor in the development of quarterback Caleb Williams.
The starting interior looks set for the 2025 season, but the same can’t be said for the tackles. While Darnell Wright is projected to continue anchoring the right side of the line heading into Year 3, Braxton Jones could be the odd man out on the left side. Jones is recovering from an ankle injury, and with one year remaining on his deal, the Bears could opt to draft his replacement. Poles already hinted at competition between him and Kiran Amegadjie, who is entering his second season and first full offseason after missing time recovering from his own injury coming out of college.
The Bears re-signed Bill Murray and Doug Kramer this offseason to compete for roster spots yet again and still have Ryan Bates as a backup option, whom they acquired via trade last offseason. Jordan McFadden was claimed off waivers from the Chargers in January, while Theo Benedet and Ricky Stromberg are back after spending much of the 2024 season on the practice squad.
Who departed this offseason?
- Teven Jenkins
- Coleman Shelton
- Matt Pryor
- Larry Borom
- Jake Curhan
The most notable departure this offseason was Teven Jenkins, the 2021 second-round pick the Bears traded up for in hopes of landing their next franchise left tackle. Jenkins wound up playing guard the last few seasons, and while he was effective, he couldn’t stay healthy. Jenkins’ health played a significant role in the Bears electing to move on, replacing him with Thuney. He will look to revive his career with the Cleveland Browns. His fellow draft mate Larry Borom also left in free agency, signing with the Miami Dolphins in a reserve role.
Coleman Shelton signed with the Bears last season to compete for the starting center position with Bates during training camp. Shelton won by default, and proved to be durable and serviceable, playing in all 17 games. The Bears wanted to upgrade with Dalman, however, and Shelton wound up returning to the Los Angeles Rams, where he’s in line to become their starting center once again.
Matt Pryor and Jake Curhan signed one-year deals last offseason as backup options. Pryor wound up seeing extensive playing time due to the release of Nate Davis, as he started 15 games and became the de facto starting right guard for the majority of the season. Despite being one of the better surprises, Pryor wasn’t retained by the new coaching staff and signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. Curhan, meanwhile, primarily played on special teams. When he was thrust into a starting position late in the year, he was abysmal. Curhan joined the Arizona Cardinals as a reserve lineman.
Positional need: Moderate
Going into the offseason, the offensive line was the biggest priority for the Bears. They had question marks at multiple positions and needed to make multiple big moves to answer them. Poles and Johnson have done a tremendous job up to this point, and now the need to add starting-caliber linemen isn’t as high as it once was. But the Bears would still be wise to target an offensive lineman with one of their top-three picks.
Jones is entering the final year of his deal, and while he has been adequate as the starting left tackle when healthy, it doesn’t sound like the Bears are comfortable committing to him in a long-term deal. The fact Poles has already brought up competition between him and Amegadjie is notable. Chicago could make do with Jones next to Thuney, but that would put a ceiling on their success while also putting them in a tough position going into 2026 with no clear successor at left tackle.
Top draft prospects
- Will Campbell, LSU
- Armand Membou, Missouri
- Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
- Josh Simmons, Ohio State
- Tyler Booker, Alabama
- Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon
Tackle has been a popular choice for the Bears leading up to this year’s draft, but the best players at the position may not be available at pick 10. Even if they do, there are question marks that persist with each player. Will Campbell is at the top of many draft boards, but there is concern his arm length is too short to play tackle at the NFL level. Armand Membou is a bit bigger but has played right tackle his entire collegiate career. Kelvin Banks is another quality lineman who many believe is suited for guard. And Josh Simmons is coming off a torn ACL.
Still, if one of the top options is on the board for the Bears at No. 10, chances are that pick will be used on a tackle. Otherwise, Chicago will look to the later rounds to find options.
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