Bears Free Agent Targets: Top offensive linemen Chicago should consider to help rebuild the protection for Caleb Williams

The Chicago Bears will have a major endeavor to accomplish this offseason in rebuilding the offensive line once again.

General manager Ryan Poles and the rest of the front office attempted to do so last year with a bunch of half measure additions.

As a result, their rookie franchise quarterback Caleb Williams led the league in sacks taken, even if some were caused by his own doing.

This time around, the Bears need to understand that this isn't something that can be glossed over, it needs to be properly addressed if Williams and this unit want to take the next step in 2025 and beyond.

Luckily, the Bears have plenty of cap space to spend on top free agents on the offensive line and high draft capital to fill in any remaining holes.

The Bears will have to likely find an upgrade or replacement for at least three of the five starting positions along with adding depth players to the room.

Here are some of the top free agents the team could look to consider signing.

RG Trey Smith This is easily the belle of the ball in terms of free agent offensive linemen, if he makes it to the open market.

After the Super Bowl, the Kansas City Chiefs are going to have to make some tough decisions with multiple talented players on the roster.

Many project Trey Smith to land a top of the market contract and potentially even become the highest paid offensive lineman in the league.

The Chiefs might not be able to take on that kind of deal, but the Bears will be able to and it certainty sounds like he's high on the team's wish list.

Smith is an absolute mauler in the run game and his pass protection has steadily improved.

If he were to join the Bears, he would reunite with his former college teammate in right tackle Darnell Wright and have another familiar face in the building in running backs coach Eric Bieniemy, who used to be Smith's OC in Kansas City.

Smith would be an instant starter at right guard but Poles could be skeptical of the price tag after having the Nate Davis dilemma crash and burn.

In this case, there has been nothing but good reviews about Smith's character and work ethic.

Trey Smith is the type of offensive lineman who can help reset a teams culture, @olin_kreutz says, but he has a hard time seeing the Chiefs letting Smith get to free agency.

Listen to full interview: https://t.co/eu9fXlPQYR pic.twitter.com/T3Z5wNmicL C Drew Dalman Unlike Smith, it seems like Drew Dalman is destined to hit the open market without any uncertainty after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Falcons.

The Falcons' center has been a starter for the team since 2022 and is still only 26-years-old looking for his second NFL contract.

Dalman's name has kind of flown under the radar after missing eight games in 2024 but he was still PFF's 6th-highest graded run blocker at center and his best days are ahead of him.

Dalman should be viewed as the top center on the market.

Last offseason, the Bears waited out addressing the position and signed the seventh center off the board in Coleman Shelton to compete with Ryan Bates.

Shelton won the job and started all 17 games, but struggled throughout the entire season.

No more half measures here.

RG Kevin Zeitler Another option at right guard would be reuniting Ben Johnson with his right guard from the Detroit Lions, Kevin Zeitler.

The only worry with signing Zeitler is the fact that he would be 35-years-old at the start of next season, but he's a seasoned veteran with plenty of high-level experience.

Zeitler was PFF's 4th-highest graded run blocker among guards and had the 6th-highest overall offensive grade.

During the 2024 season, he only allowed 18 pressures, but did allow five total sacks.

Adding Zeitler will be a short-term fix at the position, but he'll have a strong knowledge of the system and be a reliable veteran the team needs up-front.

RG Mekhi Becton The career trajectory for Mekhi Becton has taken a massive swing since joining the Philadelphia Eagles and making the move from tackle to guard.

Becton started 15 games for the Eagles during the regular season and largely impressed at the new spot.

Working inside, Becton used his massive frame to his advantage for the Eagles' offensive line and another big showing on Sunday can skyrocket his market.

The former first-round bust has really turned his career around in just one year and the Bears could be the next team to help take his game to the next level.

Mekhi Becton clearing ALL the space with this block pic.twitter.com/OYYLrwXcaC RG Will Fries Another ascending right guard looking for a second NFL contract is Will Fries.

The Indianapolis Colts drafted Fries in the seventh-round and turned him into an eventual starter, while showing his upside at the position.

Fries has some injury concerns after missing the final 12 games of the 2024 season and essentially had a redshirt year during his rookie season.

During his only full season as a starter in 2023, Fries allowed four sacks and 30 total pressures.

However, through the first five weeks of the season in 2024, Fries was the top ranked right guard according to PFF.

He's taken massive steps forward in pass protection and run blocking but his fractured tibia will be a major setback teams will have to consider.

C Ryan Kelly Sticking with the Colts' offensive front, center Ryan Kelly is another enticing free agent to consider.

Kelly expressed his desire to remain with the Colts but the team already has his replacement ready to take over in Tanor Bortolini.

At 31-years-old, Kelly would be another experienced veteran to add to the offensive line that only allowed one sack and 11 total pressures during this past season.

Kelly started all 112 appearances with the Colts over the last nine seasons and it would be hard to find a player with more experience than him on the open market.

He's also steadily been ranked as a Top-10 player at the position for the majority of his career.

I asked Ryan Kelly, the #Colts longest tenured player, to assess his experience in Indy.

He got teary-eyed: Next week could be the last one ...

Its been tough.

Some good years, some tough years.

A lot of different QBs but ...

the thing that always brought me back was the guys.

pic.twitter.com/CvUrhlsNQq LG Teven Jenkins Working out a second deal with Teven Jenkins seems like a forgone conclusion for both parties and Jenkins would probably prefer a fresh start somewhere else.

Still, if the two sides could work something out, it would be great to keep Jenkins home.

The injury concerns have been a major problem for Jenkins since being drafted and even he knew it was something he needed to clean up this season.

Unfortunately, the injuries persisted, forcing him to miss three games and play less than 75% of the offensive snaps in five other games.

But, when he's on the field, Jenkins has proved to be a high-caliber player at the left guard position.

It'd be hard to find someone with that kind of potential, but the Bears might have already make up their mind with Jenkins' future in Chicago.

C Josh Myers The Green Bay Packers' former second-round pick has started all 56 games he's played since being drafted but the consistency on the field has been a major concern for Josh Myers.

It seems like the Packers could entertain the idea of running things back with him but if not, he's another young option at the center position.

He's become a true leader for the Packers and is coming off his best season in pass protection, and he narrowly avoided a serious leg injury suffered in the playoff loss to the Eagles.

He's a young and relatively experienced center who would grow with the offense and new offensive line coach Dan Roushar can help iron out his inconsistencies.

One thing about Josh Myers...

he's got your back pic.twitter.com/TkPfl7IV1h RG Brandon Scherff The former 5th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft will be looking for his third NFL team this offseason.

With the Jacksonville Jaguars, his second team, Brandon Scherff started all 17 games in each of the last three seasons, answering all the health concerns that plagued him during his stint in Washington.

The 5x-time Pro Bowler has more than proved himself to be a high level starter in this league and it's clear he's ready to join a winning organization, and we'll see if Chicago would be able to sell that part of the deal to him.

OG Robert Jones One player who would make sense at either guard position and is still young is Robert Jones.

Jones started all 17 games for the Dolphins in 2024 at left guard but also played some right tackle during the 2023 season.

The Dolphins are in the same boat as the Bears being a team expected to spend a lot of money on the offensive front.

That means it'll be hard to pry Jones away from Miami if the team wants him back.

He's a versatile guy who has a lot of good football still ahead of him..

This article has been shared from the original article on yardbarker, here is the link to the original article.