Ranking the NFC North Offensive Lines: Is Regression Coming for the Bears?

The Chicago Bears entered the offseason with unexpected turnover at the offensive line, leaving that unit with major questions to answer.

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Entering the 2025 offseason, the Chicago Bears' biggest weakness was their offensive line, and general manager Ryan Poles threw everything plus the kitchen sink at it. The results spoke for themselves: Chicago finished No. 1 and No. 5 in pass block and run block win rates, respectively. But a regression for the Bears' offensive line may be coming in 2026. Their Pro Bowl center, Drew Dalman, retired from the NFL after just one season with the Bears, while a major leg injury to Ozzy Trapilo in the Wild Card round has forced the Bears to turn to a couple of stopgap measures at left tackle, including the re-signing of Braxton Jones to a one-year contract.

Will these developments knock Chicago's O-line off its perch atop the division? It's time to find out as we reach the offensive line in our series of position group rankings. The Bears have fared well so far, earning the No. 1 spot in our ranking of the NFC North tight ends and running backs, while Caleb Williams was crowned the quarterback king of the division.

4. Green Bay Packers

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It wasn't long ago that Green Bay's offensive line was the gold standard in the NFC North. But heading into 2026, this group is by far the worst in the division. Right tackle Zach Tom is the only bright spot in this unit, as he finished 2025 with an 83.5 PFF grade. None of the other projected starters (Anthony Belton, Sean Rhyan, Aaron Banks, and Jordan Morgan) earned a PFF grade higher than 59.0 in 2025.

If there's a silver lining here, it's that Morgan may take a Year 3 leap in his development at left tackle. Belton and Rhyan are also young enough that mild improvement is not out of the question. But you can't build a Super Bowl contender on hopes and dreams, especially not in the trenches.

3. Detroit Lions

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The Lions are in pretty much the same boat as the Packers when it comes to their offensive line. This once-dominant unit has been decimated by retirements and older veterans seeking fresh starts in free agencies. Two things boosted them slightly ahead of Green Bay: Penei Sewell is a better offensive tackle than Zach Tom, and I like the potential in rookie Blake Miller.

But even if Miller is good enough to step into the right tackle position as a Day 1 starter and hold his own, the interior of Detroit's O-line is a mess. Tate Ratledge was one of the worst guards in the NFL in his rookie season last year. He can, and likely will, improve in Year 2, but he has a long way to go just to be merely competent. The same goes for Christian Mahogany in his third NFL season. As for the center position, the Lions signed Cade Mays in free agency, who offers limited upside but a respectable floor, at least.

Expect Jared Goff to once again be under constant fire from pass rushers straight up the middle. Barring massive, unforeseen development along Detroit's offensive line, there's just not much in the way of pass protection in the Motor City.

2. Minnesota Vikings

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The Vikings are in a good place with their offensive line, as long as they can stay healthy. They have their bookend, franchise tackles in Christian Darrisaw and Brian O'Neill. Blake Brandel remains a respectable starter at center, and I liked the signing of free agent guard Will Fries last year. Sure, he had a down year in 2025, but I lay more of the blame for that on injuries across the offensive line. Almost every other week, Fries was lining up next to someone different, and that's a bad way to build unit cohesion.

The only real question mark is left guard Donovan Jackson. He struggled as a rookie, and the potential is there for a big improvement in Year 2, but he has to prove it on the field before I can totally buy in.

1. Chicago Bears

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Yes, the Bears faced some shocking turnover on their offensive line this offseason, but they also did enough to mitigate any concerns I had. As mentioned at the top of this article, they re-signed Braxton Jones, who was their starting left tackle from 2022 through 2024, before a major injury ended his season. When healthy, Jones was a solidly above-average left tackle, and I expect him to once again reach that level in 2026 and hold down the fort until Ozzy Trapilo can return from his own injury.

But that's not all the Bears did to address that position. They also signed former first-round pick Jedrick Wills to a one-year deal. Injuries derailed his career in Cleveland, but after sitting out the entire 2025 season to recover from earlier injuries, he should be at 100% and could find a career renaissance for himself in Chicago.

As for the center position, the loss of Dalman hurts. No two ways about it. But adding Iowa center Logan Jones with their second-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft was exactly what I was hoping the Bears would do. Jones has 51 starts against the best defenses in college football to his name, and he more than held his own. In 2025, Jones not only anchored an Iowa offensive line that earned the Joe Moore award, recognizing the best offensive line in college football, but he himself earned the Rimington Trophy, given to the country's best center.

With the addition of both Joneses and the return of All-Pro right tackle Darnell Wright, right guard Jonah Jackson, and the first NFL Protector of the Year in left guard Joe Thuney, I do not doubt that Chicago's offensive line will once again be the best in the NFC North, and potentially the best in the entire league.

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