The Chicago Bears’ interior offensive line will look different than last season with guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and center Drew Dalman added to the roster.
But the tackles are still the same in Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright. The Bears selected Wright with the 10th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, so he isn’t going anywhere. Jones was selected in the fifth round out of Southern Utah in 2022 and is entering the final year of his contract.
Jones fractured his ankle against the Lions last season in December, forcing the Bears’ offensive lineman to have surgery.
Poles was asked about Jones during the week of the NFL Scouting Combine.
“Obviously you never want guys to go through injuries and we’ve got to see how he comes through on the other side of this,” he said. “I know everything’s been progressing on schedule and he’s doing a good job with that. He’s been very active with rehabbing to get back on his feet, so again, that’s another spot where there’s going to be competition and you build the line with the best five guys, so we’ll see where that goes through this offseason and training camp.”
If Poles is true to his word and says there will be competition at the position, then a rookie left tackle will likely be drafted. If the Bears choose to not select an offensive lineman with the No. 10 overall pick, then No. 39 or No. 41 in the second round could be the sweet spot to draft a tackle.
Oregon’s Josh Conerly would make a lot of sense. According to a report, the Bears have scheduled a 30-visit with Conerly.
The Oregon left tackle has been a consistent blocker in the last two seasons he was a full-time starter. With 1,984 snaps since 2018, Conerly has given up just two sacks, four quarterback hits and 20 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
Josh Conerly Jr. Draft Profile
- Height: 6-foot-5
- Weight: 311
- NFL Combine Results: 34.5” Vertical Jump, 8’7” Broad Jump, 1.71 10-Yard Split, 5.05sec 40 Time,
- Associated Press All-America third team (2024)
- All-Big Ten first team (2024)
Positives
As a run blocker, Conerly creates advantageous angles on defenders to secure blocks, and those angles help ball carriers to make quick decisions to cut upfield. When he was asked to pull, he wasted little movement getting to his spots and usually blocked his man. In his pass sets, Conerly is fluid with his footwork and typically stays composed. That footwork also shows up when mirroring defensive linemen and Conerly showed some good reps against Ohio State and Purdue when he had to block for an extended period. He also didn’t look confused when teams would run games up front, displaying his feel for the game and the preparation put in to prepare for an opponent.
Negatives
In the matchups against Ohio State and Purdue, Conerly’s play strength didn’t appear much in my game notes. He wins with angles. Not his power, so he will have to improve that area of his game at the next level, especially in goal-line situations. When he was beaten in pass-blocking reps, defensive linemen won using inside moves and capitalized after Conerly overstepped. Defensive ends with longer arms also showed an ability to get into Conerly’s shoulder pads and then stack and shed against him. His anchor against bull and speed rushes could also use some work.
Why Bears should draft him
If the Bears choose to select a skilled player or a defensive lineman with the No. 10 overall pick, it would be smart to continue building up the offensive line. Braxton Jones has been a serviceable left tackle – playing in 40 games in three seasons and allowing 14 sacks, 8 quarterback hits and 76 hurries.
However, Jones hasn’t played well enough to not be replaceable. There is a lot to like about Conerly and how he could potentially improve the left side of the line. He fits the physical makeup at 6-foot-5, 311 pounds and has 33 ½ inch arms, and he’s proven himself the last two years at Oregon. If Poles likes Conerly’s production on the field and he checks out in his interviews, he should be an option with one of those two second-round draft picks.