If there’s one thing we know about Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles, it’s that he is a fan of homegrown talent. More than once, he’s moved to add players with local ties to the organization. Linebackers Jack Sanborn and T.J. Edwards are two such examples. He also made sure to retain Cole Kmet. Poles is a fan of such stories, especially when the players are capable. It appears the Bears GM is sniffing around a similar story ahead of the 2026 NFL draft. This one involves one of the team’s brightest seasons.
It isn’t a secret that the Bears are hunting for help at center. They’ve been scouting and visiting with multiple potential options in this class. The most recent addition to that list is James Brockermeyer. He was the middle man of Miami’s offensive line as they battled their way to the national championship game last season. His profile was further elevated after a strong showing at the Senior Bowl. While the young man stands on his own merits, it helps that his father played 136 games in the NFL.
That man is former left tackle Blake Brockermeyer.
Ryan Poles likely knows his history in Chicago.
Brockermeyer was the second-ever 1st-round pick in Carolina Panthers history in 1995, becoming their starting left tackle for four seasons and helping them reach the NFC Championship in 1996. That success led him to sign a free-agent deal with the Bears in 1999. From there, he helped them produce the #3 passing attack in the NFL that season. Two years later, he was a key part of Chicago’s miracle run in 2001, going 13-3 and helping running back Anthony Thomas win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
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It felt like the relationship should’ve lasted much longer. However, Brockermeyer later claimed that Bears doctors misdiagnosed a shoulder injury in December of that season, failing to realize he risked permanent damage if he kept playing. Brockermeyer never started another season because of that and retired at just 31 years old. He sued the Bears over that. So you can understand why his contributions aren’t mentioned much despite his obvious impact on their early 2000s turnaround.
The younger Brockermeyer has traits the Bears like.
We’ve learned two things from head coach Ben Johnson over the past year. He wants his centers to be athletic and intelligent. Brockermeyer is both. He has the athleticism and quickness to block well in space and be a good option on pulls. Unsurprisingly, as the son of a former NFL offensive lineman, he is highly polished in technique and fundamentals. This helps Brockermeyer a lot in pass protection, doing really well against power despite his smaller 6’3″, 297 lbs frame. The intelligence is obvious as he’s rarely caught off guard by twists, stunts, or blitzes.
The primary issue with Brockermeyer is his lack of versatility. He is a pure center. This isn’t someone who can kick outside to guard. This will limit how high he goes in the draft, meaning Ryan Poles can probably get him somewhere in the 5th to 7th rounds. It will depend on whether the Bears can live with him being a one-position player. They certainly will know that he is trustworthy, much like his father was, though it might be interesting to hear what Blake thinks of his son possibly joining this organization.
