The draft is a great place to address your team's biggest needs. The Minnesota Vikings continued their plan from free agency and added to the trenches in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft by selecting Ohio State offensive lineman Donovan Jackson at No. 24 overall.
However, not every team thinks improving their offensive line is essential. The Chicago Bears allowed quarterback Caleb Williams to be sacked a league-high 68 times in 2024 and that should have been a huge indication that big changes are needed on the offensive line.
Chicago made some changes in free agency. They signed center Drew Dalman and guard Joe Thuney. They also traded for guard Jonah Jackson, But they still have a glaring need at left tackle, where Braxton Jones is expected to be the starter.
Minnesota Vikings fans left confused by Bears early 2025 NFL Draft picks
The Bears used their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to select Michigan tight end Colston Loveland. That pick makes sense since Chicago will likely run a lot of two-TE sets in 2025 under new head coach Ben Johnson.
With that pick in a draft with a lot of quality offensive linemen, the expectation was that the Bears would address the left tackle position in the second round. However, that wasn't the case at No. 39 overall when they picked Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III.
Getting weapons for Caleb Williams and getting the right personnel for the new offensive attack are important, but without fixing the protection problems the Bears had last season, Chicago's quarterback may once again find himself under duress often.
The Chicago Bears have more picks available in this draft, but the longer they wait to select an offensive tackle will decrease the odds of getting a potential high-quality starter to protect their star quarterback.
"Chicago's revamped offensive line has been the biggest headline of the 2025 offseason, but left tackle remains the one position that's gone untouched. That should change early in the NFL Draft, potentially even in the first round."Courtney Cronin of Sports Illustrated
Now that the Chicago Bears have had two opportunities to land a left tackle and decided against it, questions must be asked. Is the team comfortable with Braxton Jones in that spot or do they feel a tight end and wide receiver will help them protect their quarterback from teams like the Minnesota Vikings with a strong pass rush?