Offensive line is vital for Bears as they eye options in draft

The Bears should be uniquely equipped to solve their roster’s biggest problem. Coming off a season in which no NFL quarterback was sacked more than Justin Fields, the men running their draft are both former offensive linemen.

And just to make sure they have the most thorough evaluation possible, general manager Ryan Poles and assistant general manager Ian Cunningham brought offensive line coach Chris Morgan along for prospects’ pro days.

“Playing the position helps in terms of you know what is asked of those guys,” Cunningham said Tuesday. “And when you have a guy like Chris Morgan and you have the confidence in his development of players, you feel comfortable taking a player that you know has some upside because he is going to get the most out of him.”

So if the Bears take an offensive lineman with the No. 9 pick Thursday, everything is in their favor to get it right. Although trading that far down when they opted out of the No. 1 pick took them out of reach of the top-tier overall talent, they likely will have the first choice among offensive linemen.

With four quarterbacks potentially going in the top eight picks, the Bears like their chances of getting great value at No. 9. But the contingencies are nearly endless.

“We’re always using as many scenarios as we can,” Cunningham said. “You try to put yourself in the worst-case position and see what that looks like, and you feel comfortable with the decisions we’ll ultimately make.”

Cornerback, defensive tackle and defensive end are pressing needs for the Bears, but if they stick to offensive tackles, there are four in play.

While Northwestern tackle Peter Skoronski opened as the consensus leader, Ohio State’s Paris Johnson has overtaken him in most projections and stands as the Bears’ most likely pick. Georgia’s Broderick Jones and Tennessee’s Darnell Wright also are in the mix.

Poles and Cunningham — with input from Morgan and coach Matt Eberflus — must ascertain who will be the best in the long run, rather than who looks readiest now.

Offensive tackles aren’t nearly as thrilling as the more obvious playmakers, but they’re vital. Landing a multi-year All-Pro left tackle in the draft would instantly upgrade Fields as well. Plus, it’d probably give the Bears their sturdiest offensive line since 2018.

Braxton Jones was a nice find in the fifth round out of Southern Utah last year and started every game at left tackle as a rookie. Eberflus acknowledged When asked last month if moving Jones to right tackle is a legitimate possibility, Eberflus said, “We have to go through the draft and see what we do there.”

In the middle, the Bears are planning on Cody Whitehair at center, newly signed free agent Nate Davis at one of the guard spots and potentially Teven Jenkins at the other.

That’d be a viable lineup, and putting those pieces in place would give Fields the opportunity he’s been waiting for ever since the Bears drafted him.