Chicago Bears: 4 prospects the Bears should target in the trenches
By Evan Bruner
It is no secret that the Chicago Bears are in need of a roster shakeup. After an impressive 12-4 campaign in 2018, the organization has been stuck in mediocrity. Consecutive 8-8 finishes in 2019 and 2020, followed by a 6-11 season in 2021, make 2018 feel like forever ago, and in a way, it has. Many of the star players on that team are either gone or a shell of their former selves.
The firings of Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy were monumental in giving the organization a fresh slate, but retooling the coaching staff and front office is only half the battle. The Bears no longer have a win-now roster and will need to win the offseason if they plan on contending in 2022.
The Bears have several potential candidates to improve their offensive and defensive line in the upcoming draft
One area the Bears will be looking to improve is in the trenches. With below-average play from the offensive line in recent years, and uncertainty surrounding Akeim Hicks and Eddie Goldman’s future in Chicago, upgrading upfront would be wise for both sides of the ball.
The Bears weren’t nicknamed “The Monsters of the Midway” for nothing. Toughness and physicality were a staple of Bears football for so many years, and even though the game has changed since the George Halas days, the importance of line play hasn’t.
We will know the Bears’ needs better once free agency has concluded, but it’s hard to imagine they won’t have room for a lineman or two come draft week.
Here are linemen the Bears could target without trading up in the 2022 NFL Draft.