The NFL announced its schedule in May but the rankings season for position groups and players happens on websites once the break comes before training camps, as in right now.
It becomes more apparent at this time what teams are up against when the season begins, and after Pro Football Focus released its rankings of defensive line groups and linebackers it is obvious the Bears picked a very good year to rebuild their offensive line.
The Bears are going to need the better blocking they anticipate from trading for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and from signing center Drew Dalman.
The Bears offensive line this year will play seven games against teams with defensive lines ranked among the top 10 by PFF. This includes games against the top three defensive lines—the top-ranked Pittsburgh Steelers, second-ranked Philadelphia Eagles and third-ranked New York Giants.
It's easy to see why each of these lines are highly regarded, although the Giants might result in a few raised eyebrows. They shouldn't because any defensive line with Dexter Lawrence on it is empowered to the hilt. Bears linemen talked about Lawrence in complete awe for a year after their last game against the Giants in 2022. And since then the Giants added Brian Burns, a player GM Ryan Poles reportedly had interest in during the talks to trade away the first pick of the draft to Carolina before they decided on DJ Moore.
Obviously Pittsburgh with T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward, and the world champion Eagles are among the best.
It's a comparable assignment if they're trying to block linebackers, as well.
They have eight games against teams with linebackers groups ranked in the top 10, including four games against teams with linebacker groups in the top five.
The Eagles again rate high here, No. 1 overall with Zack Baun, Nakobe Dean, Jeremiah Trotter, Smael Mondon Jr. and Jihaad Campbell.
After the Eagles, though, there is reason to doubt PFF rankings. They have the Lions ranked second. This, means two games against Detroit. PFF sees Jack Campbell as the linebacker group leader. He is ranked 18th among linebackers. Yet, the Lions linebacker corps is ranked second overall. Go figure.
They have Alex Anzalone, who Pro Football Reference/Stathead has tracked at missing 10% or more of his tackles attempts in four of the last five years. They also have solid Malcolm Rodriguez.
There are probably half a dozen linebacker groups as good or better if PFF really did its homework here but it's true they need to rank in the top 10 somewhere simply based on depth.
The Bears also play fifth-ranked Washington with Frankie Luvu and 34-year-old Bobby Wagner. They have a game with San Francisco and two with 10th-ranked Minnesota, a difficult group of linebackers to rate because of the unusual Brian Flores scheme that blitzes so much.
It all adds up to a good time to have an offensive line more capable of standing up to defenses after the changes made in the offseason by Poles.
