Chicago Bears Free Agent Target: Donovan Smith, OT
One of the biggest storylines of the Bears' offensive line in 2022 was that the unit largely consisted of players that were more effective as run-blockers than they were pass-blockers. This partially explains the discrepancy between the Bears' elite rushing attack and woeful pass game.
Ideally, an offensive lineman can be equally productive in the run-and-pass game, but that is seldom the case, especially when the top linemen in this free-agency class have already been signed.
If presented with a choice between a run-blocking and passing-blocking left tackle, the Bears would probably be inclined to choose the latter. In that case, Donovan Smith makes more sense for Chicago than one might think.
Smith’s pedigree as a pass blocker is complimented by his durability. He’s played over 900 snaps in every season of his professional career, logging over 1,000 in six of them.
The Chicago Bears are currently dealing with an offensive line conundrum. The unit has some solid players, but the position group features entirely interior linemen. Unless the team is set on taking a tackle with the ninth pick in next month’s draft, adding an established tackle is an absolute must.