Bear Digest

Bears urged to focus on one offseason goal as 2025 free agency and NFL draft approaches

The Chicago Bears' offseason needs list is long, but one stands above the rest and was recently dubbed their primary focus in free agency and the NFL Draft.

Bryan Perez

Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Despite an exciting start to the 2024 NFL offseason for the Chicago Bears, highlighted by the selection of Caleb Williams, the bad news piled up quickly once the games began in September.

Williams was sacked an NFL-high 68 times under the blind eye of a coaching staff that collapsed midway through the season. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was the first to go, followed by head coach Matt Eberflus, who was fired the day after Thanksgiving. The result was a rookie year that turned into a nightmare for a generational first-overall pick.

But this year, things are set to change. Ben Johnson, the NFL's top head coaching prospect and widely regarded as the most innovative offensive mind in the game, is in. The offensive line is also expected to undergo a makeover, with up to four new starters projected to join the team.

During his introductory press conference, Johnson said he plans to build a Chicago Bears offense around Caleb Williams' strengths. According to a recent analysis of offseason priorities for teams picking in the top 10 of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Bears must improve their offensive line to help Johnson achieve that goal.

Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith (65) against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

"It's a wise move provided the Bears also do something about an offensive line that gave up a staggering 68 sacks in 2024," Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport wrote. "Some of that is due to Williams holding the ball too long. But the offensive line has to be a focus of Chicago's offense. The focus.

"The Bears are well equipped to upgrade that line with a top-10 draft pick and almost $63 million in cap space."

The Chicago Bears have been connected to almost every big-name offensive lineman this offseason, ranging from Trey Smith (Chiefs) in free agency to Will Campbell (LSU) in the NFL Draft.

While NFL free agency and the Draft can be unpredictable, it's safe to say the Bears will be highly active in the offensive line market over the next few months.

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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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