Several Chicago Bears players have popped up on ESPN’s survey of the top 10 players at each position. So far, the outlet has covered defensive tackles, edge rushers, interior offensive linemen, running backs, safeties, and tight ends. The issue for the Bears is at offensive tackle, where they have Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright as the presumed starters.
The Bears did not have an offensive tackle earn a spot in the top 10, among the honorable mentions, or even in the “others receiving votes” category.
That could prove problematic.
Bears’ Absence From Top-10 OT List Could Prove Ominous
Caleb Williams Could Still See Pressure Behind Bears’ Rebuilt OL
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler shared the list, which included input from a collection of 70 coaches, front office personnel, and scouts.
That the Bears were left out entirely is noteworthy for many reasons, but the most pressing is that Caleb Williams was sacked a league-leading 68 times in 2024. The Bears invested heavily in their interior offensive line this offseason.
However, nine of the top 10 sack leaders in the league last season played off the edge.
The first appearance of an interior defensive lineman is No. 10 (Leonard Williams of the Seattle Seahawks), and there were just two in the top 20.
The Bears’ efforts to fortify the middle should simplify what they need to guard against, but only if they can hold off on the edges. Again, that is where the lack of a presence on the top 10 list for offensive tackles seems telling.
Bears RT Darnell Wright Falls Off OT List
The Bears had Wright, the No. 10 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, on the 2024 list. He landed in the “receiving votes” category. Wright had made the leap onto the list after the Bears were left off in 2023.
The Bears tied for the fifth-most sacks (50) allowed that season.
Wright’s ascension into consideration was the result of his solid rookie season. His absence in this year’s list could be a sign that he took a step back or that the group around him did.
The answer likely lies somewhere in the middle. Pro Football Focus gave Wright a better offensive grade for his second season than his rookie campaign. Wright was the only Bears player to make the list at his position in its now-six-year run.
Not coincidentally, the Bears are tied for the most sacks allowed in the last five seasons.
Bears LT Entering Critical Training Camp
As if potential concerns about Wright regressing, which the coaching staff has not expressed, the Bears missed Jones on the field during the offseason program. He is recovering from surgery to address an ankle injury that cost him the final two weeks in 2024.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson spoke about Jones possibly adding weight to help anchor in pass protection.
Jones has been open about his issues dealing with power.
Adding weight means more stress on the lower body. Moreover, Jones, who started all 17 regular-season games as a fifth-round pick in 2022, has dealt with myriad injuries over the past two seasons, including knee and neck issues.
If Jones is not up to it, the Bears need rookie second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo, or maybe even 2024 third-rounder Kiran Amegadjie, to step up and protect Williams’ blind side.