The last of the Chicago Bears’ starting interior offensive linemen from last year has found a new home in the latest wave of roster moves in NFL free agency.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane, veteran offensive lineman Matt Pryor is signing a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles for the 2025 season, bringing the 30-year-old back to where he began his NFL career as a 2018 draft pick.
Pryor started 15 games for the Bears in 2024, taking over as their starting right guard after Nate Davis flaked on them early in the season. Pro Football Focus graded him as the NFL’s eighth-best pass-blocking guard (78.1) despite him giving up seven sacks.
While the Bears had been expected to let left guard Teven Jenkins and center Coleman Shelton walk in free agency, Pyror seemed like a potential candidate for re-signing even after the team added guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson via trades in early March.
Not only does Pryor offer inside-out versatility — he played 59 snaps at right tackle in 2024 — but he is also at the stage of his career in which he is more likely to sign a lower-cost contract to fulfill a depth role than to demand high-end starter money from a team.
Instead, Pryor will return to Philadelphia, where he spent the first three seasons of his career. The financial terms of his one-year deal with the Eagles are not yet available.
Will Bears Add More OL Depth After Matt Pryor Exits?
The Bears might not have wanted to explore a reunion with Pryor for the 2025 season, but his signing with the Eagles does close another door for the Bears as they continue to bolster the depth of their offensive line for next year. It also begs a critical question:
Do the Bears have plans to add more veteran depth to their line before the NFL draft?
According to Over the Cap, the Bears have roughly $9.2 million in effective cap space remaining for the 2025 season when taking into account their rookie reserve to pay draft picks and the top 51 players signed to their roster. They can restructure a few of their pricier veteran contracts to create more space, but the spending power is limited.
That said, the Bears have enough room to invest in a veteran offensive tackle if they can find one who suits their needs in the right price range. Someone like Cleveland’s Jedrick Wills Jr. could possibly fit the bill as could 33-year-old blindside blocker George Fant.
Bears Could Prioritize OL With Top 3 Picks in Draft
The Bears flipped the script on their offensive line within the first few days of the league year, making trades for Thuney and Jackson and signing veteran center Drew Dalman.
Even still, Chicago will likely continue its work in the NFL draft in less than a month.
The Bears may well have all five of their opening-day starting offensive linemen on their roster already, but the team could still prioritize more additions. After all, left tackle Braxton Jones is coming off a season-ending injury and entering a contract year, Thuney is already 32 and Jackson is looking to rebound after a rough stint in L.A.
As impressive as it looks now, pulling one piece out could tumble the house of cards.
To avoid any problems, the Bears should continue to invest in their trenches. They may even look to add a new left tackle — one who can compete with Jones and potentially replace him in time (or immediately) — in the first round at No. 10 overall, such as Missouri’s Armand Membou, LSU’s Will Campbell and Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr.
The Bears also hold the Nos. 39, 41 and 72 picks in the draft, giving them several good opportunities to take chances on offensive linemen who can contribute right away.
