The Chicago Bears have a big decision at quarterback this offseason. They can draft a top quarterback prospect in Caleb Williams or Drake Maye. Or they can give Justin Fields a final shot in the final year of his rookie deal. Regardless, none of these quarterbacks will thrive if the Bears do not upgrade this part of their offense: The offensive line.
Chicago Bears need offensive line help this offseason
Protecting the quarterback has been a consistent issue for the development of Chicago quarterbacks. Since 2021, Justin Fields has been sacked 135 times, the most out of any quarterback in the NFL. The flip side may be that he holds onto the ball for too long. However, this problem runs much deeper than Justin Fields.
In former first-round pick Mitch Trubisky's first four years as a starter, from 2017 to 2020, he was sacked a total of 111 times, which was the 11th most by any quarterback in that span. Let’s go even deeper back in time. Jay Cutler was sacked 234 times from 2009-2015, the fifth most by any quarterback in that span. Cutler was the victim of being the highest-sacked quarterback in 2010, despite leading Chicago to an NFC Championship game.
Are you starting to notice a trend here? Regardless of having weapons from DJ Moore and Cole Kmet, dating back to the Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, and Matt Forte days, Chicago's offense always tends to be the weak point of the team. Could we have drafted Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun Watson? Yes, but what good would it have done if protecting them was not the team's number one priority?
Whether the Bears keep Fields, Draft Williams or Maye, or even sign a player like Kirk Cousins, we are going to be shaking our heads and asking why the most important position in American sports continues to be the laughingstock in Chicago. It is because the Bears refuse to acknowledge the protection of the quarterback. Unless Ryan Poles goes out and signs a free agent like Johnah Willams or drafts a top-guard prospect, any quarterback will likely struggle in Chicago in 2024.