Bear Digest

Chicago Bears' biggest offseason threat emerges at 2025 NFL Combine

The Chicago Bears have big plans this offseason, but one team has emerged as a real threat for general manager Ryan Poles.
Bryan Perez|
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The excitement around the Chicago Bears this offseason is palpable, and it's easy to see why. With the fifth-most salary cap space in the NFL and three top-50 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Bears have a unique opportunity to address many of their issues in just one offseason.

The most pressing issue is undoubtedly the offensive line. With the potential for up to three new starters joining the team through NFL free agency and the draft, the Bears are poised to be major contenders in the offensive line market over the next two months.

But they won't be the only player, and they won't be the biggest, either.

Instead, that distinction belongs to the New England Patriots, who have the most money to spend in free agency and a top-five pick in the NFL Draft.

During his podium session at the 2025 NFL Combine on Wednesday, Patriots Executive Vice President Eliot Wolf confirmed that New England is fully committed to upgrading their offensive line this offseason as well.

This is a wet blanket for Bears fans who were hoping the Patriots would overlook an offensive lineman in the first round. The only realistic chance for a player like LSU's Will Campbell to slide to Chicago at No. 10 overall is if the Patriots, the most obvious offensive line-needy team selecting ahead of the Bears, choose a different route.

It doesn't sound like they will.

Adding to that concern is the Patriots' need for reinforcements on the interior of their offensive line, which makes free agents like Trey Smith, Dres Dalman, and Will Fries increasingly more challenging for the Bears to sign.

Ryan Poles will demonstrate his value in the coming weeks as he aims to outmaneuver Wolf in what will be a critically important offseason for the Chicago Bears.

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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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