Seeing which current Bears offensive linemen fit into the Bears long-term plans

When he was hired, general manager Ryan Poles said he was going to build the Chicago Bears in the trenches. Fans weren’t too happy out of the gate as there wasn’t much effort made over the first season. Poles has his stamp firmly on both sides of the ball now, with only one key player (Teven Jenkins) remaining from the previous regime.

Let’s spend some time on the offensive side of the ball, looking at the offensive line, the current members of the unit, and how they fit into the team’s long-term plans.

Darnell Wright

Wright had an excellent rookie season and looked the part. If PFF grades are your thing, Wright was a below-average tackle as a rookie, but he showed excellent ability run blocking, held his own against outstanding pass rushers like Maxx Crosby, battled through a significant shoulder injury, and played in every game and set himself up to take a leap in year two and become one of the better tackles in the league.

Ryan Poles used the 10th pick on Wright, and as long as he continues to improve, there’s no reason to think that Wright won’t be a big part of this offensive line for years to come.

Projection: Wright is extended in August of 2026

Braxton Jones

Jones is quickly becoming the current Bears’ version of Charles Leno. That may give Bears fans a negative reaction, but it shouldn’t. Leno showed both in Chicago and Washington that he was an average offensive tackle. He wasn’t going to dominate games, but he was always going to do a solid job holding down the left side of the line.

Jones has proven to be very similar. He’s a solid blocker but doesn’t have the ability to overpower anyone. He is roughly an average starting tackle in this league which isn’t a hole worth replacing, but if the Bears take the best player available at nine, it may end up being a tackle that would make Jones expendable in a trade.

What may happen with Jones is that Poles will be perfectly happy having Jones play out his contract as the team’s left tackle, but won’t be interested in paying him what the going price would be for an extension ($16 to $19 million a year).

Projection: Jones remains the team’s left tackle through 2025 and leaves via free agency.

Larry Borom

Borom is currently set to make $3.2 million this year due to hitting the marks to earn the salary escalation which increases his 4th-year salary by roughly $2 million. Borom is a serviceable swing tackle but has no real promise to be anything else.

The Bears may come to Borom and ask him to take a pay cut down to what his original fourth-year salary would be or tell him he won’t be a part of the team this year and he can find a new team.

In that situation, if Borom wants to remain on the Bears, he will take the pay cut, because his new teams would also be signing him to the league minimum. If Borom wants to move on from the Bears because he knows his time is winding down in Chicago regardless, he may refuse the pay cut and become a free agent.

Projection: Borom is asked to take a pay cut, he accepts and remains a Bear for one final season in 2024.

Matt Pryor

Pryor was added this offseason to add to the depth at tackle. Pryor is a veteran swing tackle who turns 30 later this season and has the inside track to beat Borom and become the Bears OT3.

Pryor won’t wow anyone with his skills but he’s a serviceable tackle if Jones or Wright miss any time due to injury. Pryor spent time in Philadelphia when Ian Cunningham was there and Cunningham was a key reason Pryor was brought added to the unit.

Projection: Pryor earns the swing tackle job this year and is re-signed to another one-year contract for 2025 before he departs.

Jake Curhan

Curhan is another player who doesn’t play a major role in the Bears’ plans with the offensive line. Curhan spent the last three years in Seattle and knows Shane Waldron well. Curhan can help the current offensive linemen learn Waldron’s system.

Curhan would be a nice addition to the practice squad, and if Borom doesn’t remain on the roster this year, he could be OT4 for this team.

Projection: Spends 2024 largely on the practice squad, and does not return in 2025.

Nate Davis

This is a big year for Nate Davis. Due to personal issues and a high-ankle sprain, Davis did not have a great season in 2023. Davis enters 2024 under contract for two more seasons, but there is very little dead cap for 2025 if the Bears want to move on after this season.

Davis is playing for his job if he wants to remain a Bear beyond this season. He is going to need to improve his play on the field and show he can be more reliable to be out there closer to 17 games. If Davis is healthy and motivated, he can be a solid guard who can help solidify this line, but if his 2024 looks like his 2023, Davis will be a free agent after this season.

Projection: Davis improves off his 2023 season, but misses enough time where Poles decides to move on from Davis after this season.

Teven Jenkins

Jenkins is a fan favorite in Chicago and why not? He’s an outstanding run blocker and improved significantly with his pass protection last season. Jenkins got off on the wrong foot with this regime, but things seem to have largely been ironed out and Jenkins has played quite well since moving inside to guard.

Jenkins’ problem continues to be health. Jenkins has missed 9 games over the last two seasons and missed 11 as a rookie. It’s tough to earn contract extensions when you’ve already missed 20 games in three seasons.

This is a big year for Jenkins to stay healthy. If he’s out there for 17 games, Ryan Poles is going to have to consider giving him a healthy extension, but if he misses time again, Jenkins may be a tough decision for Poles.

Projection: Jenkins has a strong season but misses four games. Poles decides to move on after this season. Several Bears fans voice their displeasure with the decision.

Ryan Bates

Bates has been a favorite of Ryan Poles since he tried to bring him in back in 2022. Bates is here for two affordable years and he can play all three interior line positions.

It’s my understanding that Bates will be the starting center for Chicago, but if there are injuries to either Jenkins or Davis, Bates would move over to guard and Coleman Shelton would be the first guy off the bench and come in at center.

Bates ‘position flexibility and affordable price tag also potentially gives them a serviceable starting guard for 2025 if Davis and/or Jenkins depart and the Bears are only able to replace one of them due to salary constraints.

Projection: Bates has an unspectacular but solid season in Chicago. He ends up starting at guard in 2025 and receives a two-year extension beyond 2025 to work as a rotational interior offensive lineman with position flexibility.

Coleman Shelton

Shelton had a nice season last year for the Los Angeles Rams and I’m surprised he received very little attention in free agency. Shelton is a really strong value at his $3 million salary and should see plenty of time this year the way the Bears have structured their interior offensive line.

Ryan Poles almost certainly will want to add an interior offensive lineman (preferably a center) in the draft, but he would have to look for one at 75 or 122. Shelton’s future in Chicago probably depends on what the Bears manage to do in the draft at the end of April.

Projection: Shelton is here for 2024, starts a few games, plays well, but moves on to greener pastures in 2025.

Ja’Tyre Carter

After the Bears spent the 2022 season keeping Carter protected in the 53-man roster, there was hope that he was going to really improve and become a key sub in 2023. Carter had his chances but never really put together anything too impressive on tape.

Carter fell out of favor last year and ended up being inactive for much of the second half of the season. He enters 2024 as a long shot to keep his spot on the 53-man roster. He’s currently projected as the team’s 5th IOL and that’s before they potentially add anyone else in the draft.

Projection: Carter loses his spot on the 53-man roster and either remains on the team’s practice squad or leaves if another team is interested in his services.