Do the Chicago Bears have a secret superstar on their offensive line?

The Chicago Bears' offensive line was a disaster in 2024, but one starter was recently named the team's secret superstar by Pro Football Focus.

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The 2024 NFL season wasn't good for the Chicago Bears' offensive line. Caleb Williams was sacked a team-record 68 times, and while it's true that not every sack was the offensive line's fault, it's a statistic no offensive lineman wants on their resume.

General manager Ryan Poles is expected to focus most of his offseason resources on rebuilding the starting five. The Bears have the fifth-most salary cap space in the NFL, and with three picks in the first 42 selections in the 2025 NFL Draft, Poles will have no shortage of high-value assets to accomplish his goal.

The good news is that the Bears don't have to replace all their starting offensive linemen. Right tackle Darnell Wright has been fantastic since being selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He's started all 33 games he's played over the last two seasons and has emerged as one of the top young players in the league at his position.

In fact, he's been so good that Pro Football Focus named him the Bears' secret superstar.

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"Discourse about how bad the Bears’ offensive line was never ceased in the Chicago area, but Wright actually turned in a strong Year 2," wrote Bradley Locker. "The former first-round pick was the Bears’ highest-graded starter on either side of the ball (79.3 overall) while playing 1,021 snaps as other offensive linemen were banged up. Wright improved both his run-blocking and pass-blocking grades by at least 14 points while registering three fewer penalties. The Bears will probably invest more along their offensive line this offseason, but right tackle appears in strong shape with Wright."

Bears likely to target offensive line in first round of 2025 NFL Draft

With Wright locked in a right tackle, expect Poles to focus on a first-round prospect who can protect Caleb Williams' blindside.

In a recent mock draft from The Athletic's Dane Brugler, the Bears use the 10th overall pick on Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons. It's a great pick, assuming Simmons' knee checks out in the pre-draft process. Simmons is the prototype left tackle.

He has size, length, athletic ability, and power. Simply put, he's in a totally different tier than current starter Braxton Jones, and he'd provide instant credibility to the Bears' pair of bookends.

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The Bears can flip either or both of their second-round picks into starters for the interior offensive line positions (guard or center). Honestly? They should. It might seem like overkill on draft weekend, but Williams and the offense will be thankful for that strategy once the regular season rolls around.

Fortunately, the Chicago Bears have Darnell Wright, who will serve as the offensive line's building block this offseason and for many years to come.

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