Everything Bears fans must know about retooled offensive line in 2026

The Chicago Bears' offensive line is coming off a dominant year. They ranked third in rushing yards per game with 144.5 and the fewest sacks allowed, at 24. They became the fourth team in the past 20 seasons to rank in the top three in both.

Chicago was able to reach those heights with the offseason signings and a good draft pick that completely revitalized the offensive line. The season before, the Bears allowed the most sacks in the league with 68.

The offensive line looks set for another impressive year, but there are some storylines to watch. Braxton Jones will need to step up into the starting role at left tackle, and there will be a battle for the center position between Garrett Bradbury and Logan Jones

A dive into each position for the O-Line

Left Tackle

Ozzy Trapilo was drafted by the Bears last season and earned his starting spot. He's viewed as part of the Bears' future, but he went down in the NFC Wild Card game and ruptured his patellar tendon. It's not known when Trapilo will be back this season, but he will be missing a huge number of games at the very least. He seems to be doing well in his recovery and was even posted doing strength training exercises.

While Trapilo is out, Braxton Jones will have to step up big time for Chicago. He'll be the one to watch in training camp to see how well he can protect Caleb Williams' blindside. Jones started the first four games last season before losing the starting spot.

Fans might be worried about the left tackle because, without Trapilo, there's a possibility of more penalties. In Trapilo's rookie season, he only had two penalties in 491 plays. Compared to Jones, who had seven penalties in the previous season when he had 719 plays.

Especially since he signed a one-year deal with the Bears this offseason, Jones will need to prove that he can be a real asset to the team.

Left Guard

This position is a lock for the 2025 Protector of the Year winner, Joe Thuney. He was the first-ever award winner after anchoring the offensive line and placing first in pass blocking, per Pro Football Focus.

Thuney also has a reputation for winning the Super Bowl, no matter what team he's on. He was voted team captain last year by his teammates. Under his leadership, the Bears were the only team in the NFL to have multiple running backs with at least 750 yards.

Given Thuney's resume, it's safe to say that the Bears will stick with him at the starting position, and he could have another Pro Bowl year.

Center

After Drew Dalman's surprise retirement, Ryan Poles had to find another center. He settled on trading a fifth-round pick for Garrett Bradbury. He's coming off a season where the Patriots reached the Super Bowl with him starting every game. The signing allowed him to reunite with his former college teammate and filled a gap for cheap.

While Bradbury is mostly expected to make the start at center, the Bears also drafted Logan Jones from Iowa, who might give him a run for his money. Chicago has been no stranger to finding rookies who can become immediate starters for him, and Jones has a good chance of doing the same.

He is a 25-year-old who has started 51 games in his college career, proving maturity physically and playmaking-wise. The Bears giving Jones Brian Urlacher's jersey number and selecting him in the second round shows that he's the center of the future for Chicago, but the center for the 2026 season is still up for grabs.

Right Guard

Jonah Jackson was one of the breakouts that the Bears acquired in their offseason additions last year. He started every game for the Bears, proving that he can be a Pro Bowler for the team again.

Before coming to the Bears, there were doubts about him because he had a shoulder injury the season before that limited him to four games. But that did not hinder his performance in Chicago.

Jackson did so well last season that the team added another year to his contract. The combination of him and Thuney will be one of the best guard duos in the entire NFL.

Right Tackle

The right tackle position is held by Darnell Wright. This is the only starting offensive lineman the Bears drafted and not a signing or trade acquisition. Chicago took him with the 10th overall pick in the 2023 draft, and it paid off.

He earned second-team All-Pro honors last season, cementing his spot in the starting lineup this year. While he will be a starter, fans should watch for the new contract he is expected to sign with the Bears.

According to ESPN's Courtney Cronin, the Bears will want to get a deal done before training camp.

Read more: Garrett Bradbury holds one massive advantage in Bears' position battle

Even with the two new additions to the offensive line, they can be as good, if not better, this year. The consistency from the returning players will be enough until the new players get into a groove.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow