Pro Football Focus has the Bears finding their left tackle in 2025 NFL Draft preview
While the 2024 NFL season has yet to start, many outlets are beginning to preview the 2025 NFL Draft with an eye on the college football prospects that could headline the first round.
There is a chance that the Bears may be in an unfamiliar position for the 2025 NFL Draft. After selecting Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and Rome Odunze with the ninth pick, the Bears seemingly will not be in the market for either a quarterback or wide receiver in the early rounds of next year's draft.
With the selection of Odunze, the Bears passed on the opportunity to select an edge rusher to pair with Montez Sweat or on the chance of finding an upgrade at the left tackle position.
Braxton Jones is entering the season as the Bears' starting left tackle but this is seemingly a decisive year for the third-year tackle. If Jones fails to show development for the second consecutive season, it's safe to say that left tackle will be at the top of the team's wish list next offseason.
In an early look at the 2025 NFL Draft, Pro Football Focus lists NC State Tackle Anthony Belton as the prospect that the Bears should be watching.
"CHICAGO BEARS: T ANTHONY BELTON, NC STATE
- Pro Football Focus
The Bears opted to draft wide receiver Rome Odunze over potentially upgrading at left tackle with the No. 9 overall pick — a positive decision, all things considered. They’ll ride with Braxton Jones for 2024 after he earned a 71.3 PFF overall grade in 2023.
Jones has two more years on his rookie deal, so maybe Chicago won’t go the tackle route in 2025, but I love the idea of adding the massive 6-foot-6, 340-pound Anthony Belton to the Bears’ offensive line, either at tackle or guard. His power and size are imposing."
Rather than seeming like an upgrade over Jones, Belton could be viewed as a replacement for Teven Jenkins. When healthy, Jenkins is right next to Darnell Wright in terms of being the Bears' best offensive lineman. The issue is that availability has become a major concern for Jenkins.
Jenkins is entering his contract year with the Bears and there does not appear to be negotiations ongoing between the two sides. If the Bears do view Jenkins' availability concerns as a detriment and the primary reason why they let him walk next offseason, the selection of Belton would make sense.
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