The Chicago Bears are most likely going into the 2024 NFL draft with two top 10 picks. GM Ryan Poles will have a golden opportunity to add two blue-chip talents to his roster, putting them in position for playoff contention sooner rather than later. The lingering question is which positions they will focus on upgrading. Quarterback is an obvious one. Wide receiver and pass rusher are others. Perhaps the most uncertain is offensive tackle. Darnell Wright looks like a keeper on the right side. Maybe the Bears could find him a running mate on the opposite edge. There is no shortage of options, with Olu Fashanu, Joe Alt, and JC Latham all looking like excellent prospects.
This entire scenario depended on what Braxton Jones did this season. The second-year tackle is putting together a strong season based on recent analytics. PFF charted every tackle in the league based on pass protection grade. He earned high marks.
Jones has allowed only 14 total pressures in 229 pass-blocking snaps this season. His 81.6 grade is 11 full percentage points higher than his rookie season. He also remains an effective run blocker. While the possibility remains that Poles may covet one of the 2024 draft’s top tackles, Jones’ play suggests the Bears will direct their efforts to positions of more pressing concern.
The Chicago Bears will have a boatload of options.
Prospect rankings will likely change between now and next April, but it looks like the top 10 will be flush with players at key positions of need. Caleb Williams and Drake Maye are both considered top-5 locks at quarterback. Marvin Harrison Jr. is widely viewed as the best wide receiver prospect since Calvin Johnson. Then you have Laiatu Latu, Dallas Turner, and Jared Verse as prominent pass rusher options. That doesn’t even include defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton, the best interior pass rusher in this class.
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Drafting a new tackle isn’t out of the question. If one of them blows Poles away in drills and interviews, he may pull the trigger anyway. Such things have happened before. That said, Jones has done everything asked of him this season. If he stays healthy and can finish the final five games on a high note, he will have likely locked up the starting job. Poles deserves a ton of credit for rapidly retooling this offensive line. They now appear to be a quality center away from standing among the NFL’s best.
