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Chicago Bears emerging as serious contender to select Ashton Jeanty in 2025 NFL Draft

The Chicago Bears' trades for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson have set the team up to potentially target Ashton Jeanty in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Bryan Perez|
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Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears selecting Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft seemed like a far-fetched idea just a couple of days ago. But following the trades for All-Pro guard Joe Thuney and former Ben Johnson understudy Jonah Jackson, the Bears' list of NFL Draft needs has taken a dramatic shift.

The Bears no longer have an overwhelming offensive line problem. Sure, they have holes to fill, but with more than $50 million in salary cap space remaining, signing center Drew Dalman remains a legitimate possibility. Chicago also has two second-round picks that can be used on a top-50 prospect at left tackle to round out what's already a successful o-line rehab.

That leaves the Bears' first-round pick, No. 10 overall, as a true wild card as the days until the 2025 NFL Draft continue ticking away. General manager Ryan Poles has taken a massive step toward being able to select the best player available, regardless of position. And in this year's Draft, that position might be a running back.

During a recent appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, NFL Network draft expert Daniel Jeremiah didn't rule out Jeanty as a possible match for the Chicago Bears in Round 1.

As fun as it is to envision Ashton Jeanty as a Chicago Bear, it still seems like a longshot

I get it, a backfield featuring Caleb Williams and Ashton Jeanty would be wild. It would generate instant buzz even for the casual fan, but is it the recipe required to win football games in the NFC North?

The Bears weren't just two offensive linemen away from having a solid starting five. And even if Poles closes a deal with Dalman in free agency, relying on high-priced veterans to rebuild an offensive line is a slippery slope.

Darnell Wright is the only home-grown first-round pick (as of today) who will start on the Chicago Bears offensive line in 2025; that needs to change.

Perhaps the Bears will invest in a player like Will Campbell, who has left tackle skills in a guard's body. Maybe Armand Membou, the freakish athlete who was cut from an offensive tackle mold, is the answer at left tackle despite playing exclusively right tackle for Missouri.

Regardless of who the first-round lineman is, the Bears have to invest a high draft pick into a long-term vision of building one of the NFC's best offensive lines. They'll never get there through free agency alone.

So, yeah, Williams dumping passes to Jeanty, who scoots for chunk gains and touchdowns, is exciting. But it's the boring pick, the dancing bear offensive lineman, that will lead to more wins in Chicago.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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