The Chicago Bears wasted all of about 20 seconds before the announcement was made that Ryan Poles had landed the big fish.
Chicago was indeed able to agree with free agent center Drew Dalman just as the free agency period opened on Monday.
And, after making a pair of trades, just days before, the Bears' offensive line was theoretically set. Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson were brought in to man the guard positions. Dalman sticks at center, and you've got Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright at tackle.
Chicago didn't just address offensive line early on in free agency, but it was certainly the biggest story of this team's last few days. Now, they go into the 2025 NFL Draft with tons of flexibility.
Where should their strategy lie, now?
Ryan Poles loads up for present and future in the latest Bears 2025 mock draft
The best player on the board at no. 10 overall is undoubtedly defensive end Mykel Williams out of Georgia. As ESPN's no. 6 overall prospect, currently, the Bears get him four spots later and now have a trio of pass rushers who can get after the quarterback in different ways, but all disruptive in their own unique fashion.
Williams has the frame (6-foot-5, 260 pounds) and explosiveness needed for a classic defensive end. He just lacks the experience and needs to add a little bit more to his mass. That's why playing behind Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo, to begin with, is the way to go. Make no mistake, however, he'll get plenty of time on the field.
While some fans love the thought of Ashton Jeanty, the Bears get another running back who, maybe in a different draft class, would have been the RB1. Omarion Hampton would fit tremendously into Ben Johnson's system and brings a little bit of everything.
At six feet, 221 pounds and able to run a 4.45, Hampton is the total package. He's got the size and the speed. This is Ben Johnson's David Montgomery, but even quicker.
With their second pick of the round, the Bears don't let the offensive line overhaul stop them from picking one. The great thing about Josh Conerly is that he can play either inside or outside. He has average length which could limit him to the interior, but he comes into the draft as a tackle out of Oregon.
Conerly would provide the Bears with an instant backup lineman who could fill multiple roles, if needed. Chicago cannot be shy when it comes to drafting offensive linemen. You can never have enough. That must be the strategy.
To bring the mock to a close, the Bears snag Texas safety Andrew Mukuba. One thing to note about this year's free agent class is that the safety market seemed to be highly sought after, and the Bears could be in that market in 2026 when Kevin Byard's deal is up.
Mukuba is a way to plan ahead and get their hands on a good player with plenty of athleticism and fantastic awareness. He can play safety or in the slot, but the bottom line is, Mukuba brings speed, athleticism and a lot of positive traits. He's going to start at some point, it's just a matter of position.