When was the last time the Chicago Bears employed even one offensive lineman in the NFL who was top five at his position? Kyle Long is the only one who had a case. Before that, it was Olin Kreutz. Outside of them, the Bears have been disgustingly light on great blockers for the past 30 years. Not since the 1980s have they employed multiple top-five guys like Jimbo Covert and Jay Hilgenberg. Some experts believe that the cold streak was snapped this offseason thanks to their work in free agency.
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Pro Football Focus recently ranked the 32 best centers and guards in the NFL going into this season. Drew Dalman was rated the 5th-best center. Joe Thuney was rated the 2nd-best guard. Both are now playing next to each other on the Bears’ offensive line.
It gets better. Their other major veteran acquisition, Jonah Jackson, cracked the list as the 31st-best guard. That isn’t bad considering what happened to him last season, with him missing several games with injuries and getting benched. Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright were paired together as the 25th and 26th-best offensive tackles.
The Chicago Bears have pieced together something big.
As always, we won’t know the extent of what they have until the pads go on. Still, on paper, this is the most complete offensive line the Chicago Bears have had since at least 2018. All three interior guys are Pro Bowl-caliber, and one of their tackles seems to be trending that way. The key for this group isn’t talent. It’s health. Jones is still out with a fractured tibia. Jackson has missed several games in the past few years due to various ailments. Wright played hurt a lot last season. If the Bears want to get this offense off the ground, they need all five guys on the field together. That hasn’t happened in a long time. Maybe luck will be on their side this year.
