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Bears Reinforce Offensive Line to Support Caleb Williams
SportsGrid
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3/19/2025
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Sports
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00:00
So, you talk about winners in free agency and you start with the Bears and what they
00:05
did up front offensively to protect Caleb Williams.
00:09
Yep, Scott, every year we're always looking for who's that breakout team, right?
00:13
The Bears, they've underachieved for years, they've never gotten it right at quarterback.
00:18
Really since, I mean, you could talk about Jim McMahon and really we're talking about
00:21
having it right for a number of years and obviously taking Caleb Williams two years
00:24
ago with the first pick overall.
00:26
But bring in Ben Johnson, arguably the NFL's best play caller.
00:30
He's now going to be their head coach.
00:32
And Ben Johnson knew looking at this football team, they had a bad offensive line.
00:35
The word around the league was that they were going to be very aggressive in free agency
00:39
and the draft on their offensive line.
00:41
So what did they do?
00:43
They've completely rebuilt the interior of their offensive line.
00:46
They traded for Joe Tooney.
00:47
I know he got handled by the Eagles in the Super Bowl, but folks, he played left tackle.
00:51
He hasn't played left tackle since high school, excuse me, since college.
00:55
So he played left tackle the final quarter of the season.
00:58
It didn't work well, but he's now on the final year of his deal, so the Chiefs traded
01:01
for him.
01:02
Chiefs traded him to the Bears and got a draft pick for him.
01:05
So he'll start at guard.
01:06
They got Jonah Jackson from the Rams, Ben Johnson was with him, Jonah Jackson with the Lions,
01:12
and then Drew Dolman, the former Falcons center, will be their starting center.
01:15
So they've completely rebuilt the interior of their offensive line.
01:19
And now when you really look at it, Scott, they've added a couple defensive players who
01:23
I like.
01:24
Adayo Odingbo, who's kind of a funny name, formerly of the Colts, he's a former second
01:29
rounder, he's really underrated, they're paying him about $15 million a year.
01:34
Their pass rush was horrific last season.
01:36
So they add him in there.
01:37
So Scott, this could be the team, I'm not, because you and I laughed last season with
01:41
Matt Eberfuss being the potential coach of the year.
01:44
They got off to that great start, then they had a terrible losing streak.
01:47
This is actually legit.
01:48
If Ben Johnson's the coach that the Bears think he is, with this revamped offensive
01:52
line, with the talent they have at the skill positions, this absolutely could be that breakout
01:58
team to make the playoffs.
01:59
Well, we'll see, won't we?
02:01
And what about the Commanders?
02:03
Yeah, and Scott, when you look at the Washington Commanders, this is a team that knew if they
02:09
want to compete for a Super Bowl or compete for a playoff spot against those Eagles, they
02:14
got to rebuild their offensive line.
02:16
Like, they overachieved last season.
02:17
They're playing Brandon Coleman, who is either going to be a left tackle or a guard for them,
02:22
I'm told, last season.
02:23
So they decided to play him at left tackle.
02:25
He tried his hardest.
02:26
It wasn't good enough.
02:28
So they made the crazy trade of giving up four picks to get Laramie Tunsell, the Texans'
02:32
left tackle.
02:33
So now they've got a legit left tackle for a number of years so that they could move
02:39
now Brandon Coleman, I'm told, most likely, he's indefinite, but most likely to guard
02:44
where he's better off.
02:45
Now they've strengthened their offensive line in two positions.
02:48
And Scott, when you really look at it, they needed playmakers.
02:52
They got their offensive line fixed.
02:53
They got Debo Samuel, who Adam Peters was with, the Washington Commanders' general manager
02:58
when he was their personnel director.
03:00
See, Debo Samuel, Scott, I don't think he's on the downside of his career.
03:04
He had the problems with Brock Purdy being injured.
03:08
Their passing game was not what they thought it would be.
03:11
So they traded Debo Samuel, who's 29 years old, still can play.
03:14
Scott, he's a playmaker.
03:15
Yes, he's not a nine-route runner.
03:17
He's not a deep threat.
03:18
He can play, run after the catch, get the ball in his hands.
03:21
He also can play running back, as we know.
03:24
Cliff Kingsbury, Scott, one of the best play callers and play designers for the National
03:27
Football League.
03:28
This is a great match.
03:29
Remember, last year, they had interest in Brandon Ayuk, so we knew they were looking
03:33
for a receiver.
03:34
They got one.
03:35
And defensively, I know people thought this contract was crazy.
03:38
Javon Kinlaw, a former first-round pick of the 49ers, was a disappointment there.
03:43
He's getting, on his contract, $30 million fully-guaranteed siding, one of the best
03:48
contracts in free agency.
03:50
He played really well, Scott, last season with the Jets, where he did not play well
03:53
with the 49ers.
03:54
He's going to help solidify their defensive line, and they now can compete.
03:59
And you look at Scott.
04:00
They overachieved last season.
04:01
Let's call it like it is.
04:02
They didn't have a very good roster last season.
04:04
They overachieved, and now they are a legitimate contender to be a perennial playoff team.
04:08
But they still need a little bit more help on defense.
04:10
But now they know they can compete in the NFC Youth for sure.
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