The Chicago Bears have improved significantly at several prominent positions of need, but left tackle isn’t one of them.
Chicago may address that concern with the 9th overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, though the Bears may also to take an edge rusher at that spot. If the team opts for the latter, free agency could be the answer to create depth around former fifth-round pick Braxton Jones, who has assumed the starting role at left tackle for the Bears since joining the NFL in 2022.
With all that in mind, Bill Barnwell of ESPN on Wednesday, March 20 named Chicago the best fit for Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Donovan Smith, who won the second Super Bowl of his nine-year career with the team in 2023.
Smith was a serviceable left tackle on a team that just won the Super Bowl. As I wrote before the big game, one of Patrick Mahomes‘ superpowers is avoiding sacks when pressured, but Smith posted a pass block win rate just under 91% during his lone season with Kansas City, suggesting he did a sound job of protecting Mahomes during the first 2.5 seconds of plays. That mark ranked 18th among all tackles.
As Ryan Poles and company prepare for the Caleb Williams era, the one thing they’re clearly missing is an upgrade at left tackle, where Braxton Jones hasn’t nailed down a tough job over his first two seasons in the league. Signing Smith would give the Bears a veteran on Williams’ blindside while moving Jones into a swing role.
Bears Have Added 2 Offensive Linemen to Roster This Offseason
Coleman Shelton
Getty Coleman Shelton, formerly of the Los Angeles Rams, will likely start at center for the Chicago Bears in 2024.
Chicago built the right side of its offensive line during the 2023 offseason, drafting right tackle Darnell Wright with the No. 10 overall pick and signing right guard Nate Davis, formerly of the Tennessee Titans, to three-year deal worth $30 million.
Meanwhile, Teven Jenkins will start at left guard after a high-level campaign in 2023 that constitutes a breakout year, with Pro Football Focus (PFF) dubbing him the 14th-best player at the position out of 79 candidates who saw enough snaps to qualify.
The Bears also added Coleman Shelton, formerly of the Los Angeles Rams, who projects as the starting center next season along with Ryan Bates. Chicago traded a fifth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills for Bates, who adds depth to the middle of the O-line. Bates played guard for the first five years of his career, though he currently appears on the Bears’ depth chart as the backup center.
Moving Braxton Jones Into Swing Role Would Be Promising Development for Bears’ Offensive Line
Braxton Jones Bears News Doug Kramer
GettyChicago Bears left tackle Braxton Jones.
Jones, who finished last season as the 35th-ranked tackle in the NFL out of 81 qualifying players based on PFF’s advanced analytics metric, would presumably move into a depth position if the Bears land Smith and would be one of the better players in the league in that role.
Of course, Smith could also end up a rotational option on Chicago’s offensive line if he ultimately lands with the Bears, though that would be a break from how his career has played out to this point.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Smith No. 34 overall in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft. He has started all 136 games in which he has played since then and won his first Super Bowl ring with the Bucs following the 2020 campaign.
