When the 2024 season ended, Pro Football Focus graded the Chicago Bears offensive line 24th best.
When you give up 68 sacks and drop from second to 28th in rushing, you're lucky not to be ranked 32nd.
Nowhere has the work of GM Ryan Poles and coach Ben Johnson been more apparent than at this position group as Pro Football Focus now has the Bears line graded fourth best, a climb of 20 places since last season ended. PFF gave the line the billing of most improved position group of any in the league.
Pro Football Network seemed a bit more, realistic with a Bears climb to 14th in offensive line ranking.
Regardless of all this guesswork, it's a dramatically improved area and the key reasons are center Drew Dalman and guard Joe Thuney. Both have been voted No. 1 at their positions for the annual On SI All-NFC North team in a polling of On SI divisional writers.
PFF ranked their best offensive lines for the 2025 season.
4: Bears
7: Vikings
13: Lions
14: Packers
Do the Bears have the Best offensive line in the NFC north? đź‘€ #DaBears #Bears #ChicagoBears
— Clay Harbor (@clayharbs82) July 7, 2025
Thuney's credentials are impeccable, with four Super Bowl rings and six Super Bowl appearances. Thuney owned the highest pass block win rate among all NFL guards each of the last four seasons. He never went below 97% for a win rate in any of those seasons, then last year even spent time blocking at left tackle to address a Chiefs problem area.
While the way Thuney elevates the Bears most at age 32 is pass blocking, they're counting on him to provide stability after Teven Jenkins missed 23 games over four seasons and his backups even missed large chunks of seasons. His record says he can as he as missed just two games in nine seasons, both in 2022.
Hands down the best move of this offseason was the trade and later extension of Joe Thuney. Thuney not only solidifies the Oline he also brings a wealth of experience to help mentor Caleb Williams having worked with two of the best QB's of all time.
Can you think of one better? pic.twitter.com/h9T6gzaibs
— The Bear Review (@The_Bear_Review) July 2, 2025
The other key improvement should be center, where Drew Dalman, who ranked worse than eighth among centers only once in his four NFL seasons according to Pro Football Focus, and was fourth last year.
The Bears haven't had a highly regarded center since six-time Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz, and Dalman should provide this as a run blocker with great technique. He was trained by his dad, former Stanford offensive line coach and 49ers/Falcons player Chris Dalman.
The Bears' offensive line transformation includes Jonah Jackson at right guard, another position with a revolving door. Jackson didn't rate as high in All-NFC North voting, finishing third at his position. They got him for a sixth-round pick, but the hope is he'll benefit from being reunited with Johnson after an injury-plagued 2024, when the Rams tried converting the former Lions Pro Bowl guard to center at the last minute.
Drew Dalman doing his part to sort out the 5 man pressure pic.twitter.com/GNQWkdos8B
— Bears Blog Boy (@TommyK_NFLDraft) May 21, 2025
This grouping of three looks much different than the planned 2024 interior of Jenkins, Coleman Shelton and Nate Davis.
The line ranking given the Bears by PFF has them No. 1 in the NFC North, as the Lions took a steep drop to 13th and just one ahead of Green Bay following the retirement of center Frank Ragnow and loss of highly rated Kevin Zeitler in free agency.
Here are the other On SI All-NFC North first teamers on the offensive line.
Joe Thuney only allowed 8.5 sacks over the last four seasons, per @NextGenStats
That is the fewest of any guard or tackle in the NFL with 2,000+ pass block snaps since 2021#DaBears https://t.co/KfIN9uco0n
— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) May 20, 2025
He might be the best left tackle on paper but the Bears might not face him in the opener. At least reports in Minneapolis say it's wishful thinking Darrisaw will be ready for the opener following an Oct. 24 torn ACL and MCL. Even if he is ready, what form of Darrisaw would it be who lines up across from edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo and sometimes Montez Sweat in the season opener.
#Vikings T Christian Darrisaw (ACL) returning for week 1’s matchup against the #Bears is a “rosy expectation” at this point, per @alec_lewis. Minnesota has commended his progress thus far, but a mid season return is more likely for the star LT. pic.twitter.com/Qfl7HHN9Lx
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) July 2, 2025
When healthy, there is no doubt Darrisaw is the top left tackle in the division.
"Darrisaw has developed into one of the best left tackles in the NFL, but expecting him to be as good in 2025 as he was before he tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee during an October game last season might be asking a bit too much of the 26-year-old," wrote Minnesota Vikings On SI's Joe Nelson.
A player who might not even be playing this position, which would be a real blow to the Lions' chances for success. Glasgow's best position is guard but he may need to play center. With inexperienced Christian Mahogany at one guard and possibly rookie Tate Ratledge called on to play guard or center, the Lions will have a drastically different look up front and could test the coaching ability of line coach Hank Fraley.
If Glasgow is at guard, he's going to need a bounce-back season. He was graded by PFF last year as 85th out of 136 guards in the league. The year prior he was ninth.
“They were already slated to start a second year player… that was before Frank Ragnow retired.”
“Now they have Graham Glasgow, who they wanted to move on from… their injuries and retirements have instead forced Glasgow into the starting lineup.”@notJDaigle on the Detroit… pic.twitter.com/d7KLZiYs2m
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) July 2, 2025
"When he's at his best, he is certainly one of the best interior linemen in the division," wrote Detroit Lions On SI's John Maakaron. "However, he'll need to prove he can regain that form with a position switch potentially coming."
The King Kong of NFC North offensive linemen, his athletic ability is unquestioned for a big man.
"After trying to throw a pass last year and catching one in the past as well, who knows what could be in store for the talented offensive lineman?" Maakaron wrote. "As a two-time first team All-Pro, Sewell has cemented his place among the NFL's great offensive linemen."
A question the Lions need to answer is whether they manage to get Sewell out in space wrecking defenses for the running backs with his movement the way they did when Ben Johnson was their coordinator.
Gervon Dexter is 6'6 and 312 lbs. Here he is rushing off the edge and beating Penei Sewell for a QB hit. This is only the second QB Hit Sewell has surrendered this year.
The Bears have a good one, guys pic.twitter.com/ZUgcJYN4FU
— Steve Letizia (Formerly CFCBears) (@CFCBears) November 20, 2023
X: BearsOnSI