Bears GM Ryan Poles must solve persistent problems on offensive, defensive lines in NFL Draft

It’s a surprising thing for a team run by a former offensive lineman, but fortifying the lines of scrimmage has been the most persistent problem during Ryan Poles’ time as the Bears’ general manager.

The offensive and defensive lines are far from exciting things to discuss when it comes to roster-building, but they’re essential. Along with great quarterback play, those units are at the core of any winning team.

Poles has tried everything to fix the lines, yet they remain unfinished as he goes into his fifth draft Thursday. It’s another chance for him to get it right, and left tackle, defensive end and defensive tackle must be the Bears’ top priorities in the first and second rounds with the Nos. 25, 57 and 60 picks.

If the Bears stay at No. 25, the best offensive tackles in that range likely will be Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, Georgia’s Monroe Freeling and Clemson’s Blake Miller. Picking one of them would spare coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams from another prolonged battle at left tackle.

At defensive end, the projections put Miami’s Akheem Mesidor, Missouri’s Zion Young, Auburn’s Keldric Faulk, Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell and Clemson’s T.J. Parker as possibilities. The options at defensive tackle probably will be Clemson’s Peter Woods and Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald.

The options improve if the Bears trade up, of course, but Poles generally hasn’t wanted to mortgage future draft capital.

Plenty has gone wrong for the Bears on both lines in the last five years — some their fault and some beyond their control.

Poles thought the offensive line was set after an overhaul last year, which included using a second-round pick to draft left tackle Ozzy Trapilo. Then Trapilo suffered a career-jeopardizing knee injury in the playoffs and Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman stunningly retired at 27.

The Bears have said Trapilo will miss most or all of this season. And with his status uncertain beyond that, they would be prudent to make a long-term move by drafting a left tackle at No. 25. If Trapilo comes back strong in 2027 and there’s a surplus at the position, the Bears will have a great trade asset.

It’s a different story on the defensive line.

Poles didn’t think he had any choice but to unload future Hall of Fame defensive end Khalil Mack when he took the job and would defend rescinding the splashy offer he made to free-agent defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi after a failed physical.

Mack has continued to be a force and Ogunjobi started for the Steelers for the next three seasons, but there was reasonable logic for those decisions at the time.

There should be no grace, however, for some of the others, and that’s where Poles must make corrections in the draft.

Defensive end Montez Sweat has been good, but the Bears needed him to be great after trading a second-round pick to get him at the trade deadline in 2023 and signing him to a four-year, $98 million contract extension that makes him their highest-paid player. His 21½ sacks since the trade rank 18th in the NFL.

Then there was the combined $90.8 million the Bears threw at defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (turning 33 next week) and defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo (16½ career sacks before signing) last offseason. Neither made the impact the Bears hoped, and Odeyingbo suffered a torn Achilles at midseason.

The Bears are locked into both deals until an affordable out arises next offseason, so the draft is their only option.

Poles also drafted defensive tackles Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens 53rd and 64th in 2023, a significant investment. But the Bears cut Pickens last year, and Dexter still has a ways to go to reach the potential they saw in him. Shemar Turner, a defensive end they selected in the second round last year, is an unknown after suffering a torn ACL after playing only five games.

It’s almost impossible to be a good defense without a disruptive pass rush and imposing run-stuffers. The Bears somewhat offset those deficiencies last season by leading the league with 33 takeaways, but Johnson admitted that’s not a reliable equation.

The best teams are great at the boring stuff, elements people usually only notice when they’re missing. The Bears need to protect Williams and be steady in the running game. They need to speed up opposing quarterbacks in the pocket and stop letting running backs shred them. All of that starts up front, which makes their picks Thursday and Friday crucial to their future.