As the Chicago Bears ramp up towards the start of training camp in a little over a week, one of the most important units to discuss for the team will once again be the offensive line.
With the arrival of Ben Johnson as head coach last offseason, the Bears made addressing the offensive line a top priority last offseason. Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman were brought in to solidify the interior via trades and free agency, while the Bears also invested in left tackle in the second round with the selection of Ozzy Trapilo. Those additions, combined with the continued development of Darnell Wright at right tackle, led to immediate results as the Bears went from having a subpar offensive line in 2024 to one of the top units in the NFL in 2025. The Bears' offensive line ranked top five in both run blocking and pass blocking as a unit according to Pro Football Focus, which set the floor for an improved offense as a whole.
Despite the turnaround last season, the 2026 offseason presented challenges to this unit that will have to be overcome this year. The major challenge revolves around the unexpected retirement of Drew Dalman. Coming off the best season of his career and lone Pro Bowl appearance, Dalman's retirement created a domino effect for the rest of the offseason as the Bears had to scramble to replace a solidifying presence at the center position. The Bears spent meaningful draft capital to address the need at center, sending a fifth-round pick to the New England Patriots for veteran Garrett Bradbury before drafting Logan Jones in the second round of the draft.
In addition to concerns at center, left tackle reemerged as a question mark due to Trapilo suffering a torn patellar tendon during the 2025 Wild Card Round that could keep him out for all of 2026. With those concerns regarding Trapilo's health, the Bears opted to bring back Braxton Jones on a one-year deal while also bringing in additional competition in the form of former first-round pick Jedrick Wills.
Even with some of these changes up front, the Bears' offensive line is still poised for another strong season in 2026. Here is our breakdown of the unit heading into the start of training camp.
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