The Chicago Bears have plenty of roster needs that GM Ryan Poles must address this offseason, including expensive ones like offensive linemen and pass rushers.
No team can fill every roster need in a single offseason, but the Bears are in a prime position to come remarkably close to achieving that rare feat.
Chicago ranks fifth in effective salary cap space, according to Over the Cap, giving GM Ryan Poles the flexibility to spend big in free agency on impact players for the offensive and defensive lines.
NFL free agency is only one piece of the offseason puzzle, but the 2025 NFL Draft is arguably even more crucial. It’s where teams build the foundation for long-term success. If championship football is won in the trenches, the Chicago Bears must prioritize using high draft picks to protect Caleb Williams.
The Bears’ need for better offensive line play is so critical that they have been named one of the top teams that should trade up in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft to secure their target: LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell.
The Chicago Bears must do whatever it takes to land Will Campbell
“A move up for Penn State edge-rusher Abdul Carter would make a bigger splash,” Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport wrote. “But it would also be far more costly in terms of compensation. It’s actually possible that Campbell will make it to the Bears at No. 10. But a slide up a spot or two to make sure Chicago lands the 6’6″, 323-pounder shouldn’t cost more than a Day 2 pick.”
I’m all in on this strategy. There’s no way Ryan Poles can leave the 2025 NFL Draft without a plug-and-play starter for the offensive line, and Will Campbell is the one top-10 talent who makes the most sense for the Bears.
Campbell is absolutely worth an aggressive move like this, even if he ends up at guard. In today’s NFL, where interior pass rushers are more dominant than ever, guards and centers have never been more valuable. The outdated notion that an interior lineman isn’t worth a top-10 selection is dead. If the Bears are in a position to trade up to secure Campbell, they should do it without hesitation.
If Ryan Poles ends the Chicago Bears’ 2025 offseason with a big splash in free agency, like Trey Smith, and selects Will Campbell as the team’s first-round pick, the hype train on offense will hit warp speed ahead of training camp.
