Few things will matter more to the Chicago Bears‘ bid to become a legitimate Super Bowl contender in the NFC than solidifying the offensive line in front of Caleb Williams.
Williams’ inconsistent rookie campaign may be due in part to NFL growing pains, and an absolutely dreadful coaching situation for a young quarterback, but, absorbing a league-high 68 sacks has the potential to hamper his development as well as the Bears’ chances of competing if things don’t improve upfront.
Given that general manager Ryan Poles and the Bears are set to have upwards of $65.8 million in cap space this offseason, fifth-most across the league, Chicago has the opportunity to go shopping at the top of the market to fortify the line of scrimmage.
Chicago Bears linked to signing Trey Smith
Few teams have illustrated the value of a dominant offensive line than the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Bears may be able to plunder one of the most consistent linemen from the team they just destroyed in Super Bowl LIX.
According to Nick Brinkeroff of The Sporting News, the Bears are an ideal destination for Chiefs Pro Bowl offensive guard Trey Smith.
“The Chiefs will almost certainly make Smith a priority this offseason, but it could become a numbers game by the time free agency begins,” Brinkerhoff writes for USA TODAY. “Kansas City enters with just a projected $11.5 million in cap space, per OverTheCap, and has no shortage of work to do after the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Bears enter with around $62.96 million to spend before making any additional moves. It’s no secret that Caleb Williams struggled behind an offensive line that sometimes looked like the turnstiles at the amusement park. Some of the sacks are on him, but new head coach Ben Johnson will be eager to fix that major problem in year one.”
Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Smith would be a colossal upgrade, after going the entire season without allowing a sack, and finishing the 2024 campaign as Pro Football Focus’ No. 14 ranked guard in the league.
If the Bears are serious about trying to take the next step towards competing in 2025, prioritizing Smith when free agency begins would be a big step forward.
Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson believed to be targeting former player
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