Anybody with half a brain knows what the Chicago Bears will do in the upcoming 2025 off-season. After four games of this season, it is beyond apparent that their offensive line needs a serious overhaul. It has allowed 16 sacks on Caleb Williams. Most of the headaches come from the interior, where Coleman Shelton and Teven Jenkins continue to struggle while Nate Davis is already benched. The former two will be free agents next spring. Davis is almost sure to get cut. This isn’t even accounting for Braxton Jones, who has been inconsistent at left tackle to start the year.
Replacing three spots on the offensive line in one off-season will be a significant challenge. The Bears do have three picks in the first two rounds of the 2025 draft. They could use all of them on that group. However, starting three rookies up front doesn’t seem practical. That is why there is a reasonable chance GM Ryan Poles will go hunting for a proven veteran in free agency. Scouts told Bleacher Report they believe one name stands out above the rest.
G Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys
On a related note, Chicago’s interior offensive line issues aren’t going away anytime soon and could get worse in the offseason seeing as Shelton, Pryor and Teven Jenkins are impending free agents. Also, Davis could be a salary-cap casualty since cutting him would save the club $9.5 million, per Over The Cap.
Don’t be surprised if Ryan Poles goes after one of the best guards on the open market in Martin. The future Hall of Famer might not have a long tenure in the Windy City, but he could help protect Caleb Williams and fill one of the team’s biggest needs.
Caleb Williams would benefit from Martin’s presence.
The nine-time Pro Bowl guard has been a model of consistency during his long tenure with the Dallas Cowboys. Only three times has he allowed more than 20 pressures on the quarterback across his last ten seasons. He has allowed only seven pressures in 173 snaps so far this season. The biggest issue most people will raise with him is his age. Martin turns 34 in November. It is always hard to tell how many great seasons a player has left once he gets to his 30s. Some remain elite to the very end, such as Andrew Whitworth or Bruce Matthews. Others fade away, like Russ Grimm and Tony Boselli. Health is crucial.
The good news is that the Bears have had some good luck gambling on older elite guards. Ruben Brown was 32 when he joined them in 2004. He made a Pro Bowl and helped them reach the Super Bowl in 2006. Though the team was bad, Josh Sitton, who was 30, was an excellent addition in 2016. If Martin is healthy, he would be a perfect short-term solution to the team’s right guard problem. It would allow Poles to focus his draft resources at left guard and center. Caleb Williams would be in far better shape under those conditions.
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TGena, We can easily flip Keenan for a compensatory pick, right? That’s not my bag, baby.
@Veece — I understand your position on “age” and the “cost” of someone like Zack Martin — but.did you (do you) feel the same about the “aging and oft-injured” WR, Keenan Allen? You’ve correctly identified the Bears biggest weakness — but somehow fail to recognize who has been the man in charge, for the last few years — Ryan Poles! Erik Lambert has told his “avid readers” that Ryan Poles is an NFL OL “expert.” I have told you that Poles is inept. The state of the 2024 Bears’ offensive line should be all the proof anyone needs to realize… Read more »
@BearFanInCO is correct that Martin is too old now to waste picks and/or money on. Keep loading the roster with young talent built to last. Poles has 3 selections in the first two rounds to grab OGs to replace Davis and Jenkins. And he should also add a top center prospect.
The Bears OL is the biggest weakness the team has. Turn it into a Top 10 OL and the Bears will be very good for 6-8 years.
I think I’d prefer that Poles go after the guy he helped draft over in KC, guard Trey Smith out of Tennessee. Him and Wright played together in college. I doubt the Chiefs are going to pay Smith what he deserves after making their center the highest paid in the league. Honestly just makes to much sense imo. As for Center I think Poles attacks it in the draft, personally I believe the best fit for Chicago at center is Bryce Foster out of Kansas. Giant human being, explosive and has played center his entire college career unlike my 2nd… Read more »
Zack Martin is one of the five best guards ever to play, in the NFL. Erik is dreaming — but, if Ryan Poles ever got the chance to bring Zack Martin to the Chicago Bears — he should do it! Zack Martin has been known to be a mentor to teammates. He is an excellent trchnician — and if he has any interest in coaching, the Bears should make every effort to bring him to Halas Hall — in either capacity. Martin has been named to the NFL First-Team All-Pro five times (2014, 2016-2019) and Second-Team All-Pro twice (2015, 2021).… Read more »