The offensive line wasn’t considered a strength for the Chicago Bears coming into this season. Still, it wasn’t a huge weakness last year. Most considered it a passable group with good run blocking and adequate pass protection. One can understand why the start of this season has been such a letdown. The group has looked discombobulated for weeks, allowing 13 sacks and blocking for the third-worst rushing attack. GM Ryan Poles is certainly disappointed like everybody else.
Fans want to know if the Bears will do anything about it. Chicago has built a reputation for making aggressive trades during the season under Poles. They grabbed Chase Claypool in 2022 and Montez Sweat last year. One would think the team is considering hunting some offensive line help. Poles appeared on ESPN 1000 before the game against the Los Angeles Rams. From the sound of things, he believes the Bears have the talent to fix the problems. The issue is limiting mental errors and getting all five guys on the same page.
Ryan Poles likely understands the Bears’ reality.
Trading for wide receivers and pass rushers is one thing. Teams rarely make high-end offensive linemen available during a season. It makes little sense. Why expose your own quarterback to added hits and pressure for what would likely be a day two draft pick that won’t help you until the spring? Only a team prepared to blow everything up would do that, and none of those who could be sellers at the deadline don’t have that feel to them. So unless somebody gets released, the Bears have to work with what they have.
Ryan Poles is already hard at work preparing for the 2025 draft. He’s attended several games that feature top offensive linemen. It isn’t hard to believe he will use at least one of his three picks in the first two rounds to bolster that ground. Maybe even two. Until then, it falls on offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and offensive line coach Chris Morgan to figure it out.
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Time is up on the vote, but you may continue to vote because I prefer not to suppress democracy. There are -6 negative votes of NO CONFIDENCE that Poles and Morgan will fix the OL!!
We few male lions agree with you. Ironically, those two OL experts have seemingly lost their way and cannot be automatically trusted to select better personnel in the next draft, I am saddened to say.
Yea Jim… Poles failed miserably on the Oline. I know most ppl on here like to praise Poles for literally anything, but he failed that Oline and its not debatable. I also heavily agree with u on big Dex. You and I both been in on him big time since before the season started. It was overall a good team win today.
Gotta agree Sam. Malpractice not coming in with a better Center option at a minimum. That position helps a QB so much. I know we got Bates for Guard, but man. I don’t know how we didn’t come into the season with more there. Then a better swing tackle that could push Jones. If we don’t go Offensive Line with 2 of our first 3 picks at a minimum next year it should be a fireable offense. Another one should be allowing Morgan to coach that next line. We also better pick up FA that can start.
Sorry Erik, no knowledgeable fan considered the Bears OL as “passable”. Most voiced concerns about filling the critical void at Center with a quality draft pick or a top FA. With a history of OL injuries, we also clearly stated we should add OG and OT depth.
While OL players were added, the OL is still a glaring WEAKNESS.
If Poles does not drastically improve the OL in the offseason, he should be fired. The IOL (and a breakaway RB) are needed to elevate the Bears to become a top 10 team in the NFL.
I don’t necessarily agree there are teams out there that don’t need to make moves if they are out of the race. The Cowboys come to mind as a team that will no doubt have to free up some money. Whether or not that’s the right move in season is another discussion.