The Chicago Bears had a fairly conservative approach to free agency this year, highlighted by some notable departures from last year's team and a general desire to get younger and faster. The draft will be the primary focus for filling the remaining voids, and it could go in multiple directions with three picks in the first two rounds after the DJ Moore trade.
Once he stepped in as the starter as a rookie last season, and before suffering a ruptured patellar tendon late in the Bears' Wild Card Round win over the Green Bay Packers, Ozzy Trapilo had seemingly asserted himself as the long-term answer at left tackle. Now, that outlook is cloudy, and for at least most of next season, the Bears have to find a solution for a critical position on an otherwise stout offensive line.
Fortunately, there are multiple potential options to fill that void, and the proverbial "best man" will win an expected training camp competition.
Bears' starting left tackle may not be who fans think it will be
During an appearance on ESPN 1000's "Kap and Hood," upon being asked about the situation at left tackle with Trapilo in line to miss most of next season, former Bears guard and current analyst Tom Thayer dropped a bold take about one of the team's free agent signings.
"The steal of the offseason is gonna be Jedrick Wills", Thayer said. "If he can come out here and he's healthy, and he can compete from Day 1, he's gonna give you an opportunity to (have) what once was a big-time football player."
Of course, health is the headline item when it comes to Wills. It's why the Bears were able to sign him to such a cheap one-year deal.
The former first-round pick suffered what turned out to be a significant and complex knee injury while playing for the Cleveland Browns in 2023. He played just five games the following season, before missing all of last season to finally recover. By all accounts, he is fully healthy for the first time since suffering the injury, and the Bears took on no risk to add him to their competition at left tackle.
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If we were to project it today, Braxton Jones would be the favorite to start at left tackle for the Bears in Week 1. But Wills will be a factor in the competition as long as he's healthy/can stay healthy. And if he wins the job, Bears' fans will pivot to hoping he is able to pay off Thayer's bold take.