The Chicago Bears knew what they had to do this offseason. The focus, from the hiring of a new head coach to any pieces that would be added to the offense, was with finding the franchise quarterback within Caleb Williams, if it exists, in mind.
No time was wasted on solidifying the interior of the offensive line. Trades brought in guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson on Day 1 of the new league year, and Drew Dalman was signed the next day in free agency to go between them at center. Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright were fine at left and right tackle, respectively, last season. Still, second-round pick Ozzie Trapilo looks like legit competition for Jones to protect Williams' blindside as training camp looms.
Despite Next Gen Stats revealing Williams had the most unblocked pressures (57) and took the most unblocked sacks (13) last season, the Bears' offensive line actually had the eighth-best pass blocking grade from Pro Football Focus as a unit last year (72.8). The additions of Thuney, Jackson, and Dalman should significantly reduce the volume of unblocked pressure Williams takes on. They'll also help bolster a lagging ground game from last year, and that will, in turn, also help Williams.
Bears' remodeled unit takes lofty place in PFF ranking
Along the line of a solid argument it is the most improved position group in the entire NFL entering the 2025 season, Pro Football Focus has ranked the Bears' offensive line No. 4 in its ranking of the league's 32 offensive fronts.
"Things are set to look a lot different in Chicago. Not only is the offensive line remolded, but it's also perhaps the most improved unit in the NFL."
"Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright, who both finished among the 22 highest-graded offensive tackles in 2024, were already a promising young duo. Now, the unit has three new interior starters who represent immediate upgrades. Trade acquisition Joe Thuney has been the best pass-blocking guard in the NFL in recent years, and free-agent center Drew Dalman ranked among the top five at his position in PFF overall grade in each of the past two seasons. If right guard Jonah Jackson can stay healthy and get back to his old form, this can be one of the NFL's top offensive lines."
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If the three interior additions play as well as expected, the Bears will go from having a subpar offensive line to having one of the best in the league in short order. That was the intent when those moves were made, and it aligns with the exact preseason expectation from PFF.