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Latest national ranking hints the Chicago Bears' bold offseason plan might be paying off sooner than expected

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Kole Noble | Last updated Jul 7, 2025 4:13 PM ET

The Chicago Bears had one plan going into the offseason after seeing what happened on the field in 2024 and that plan revolved around revamping the offensive line.

What the unit produced last season was inexcusable and one of the biggest errors made by the front office going into a season with a rookie quarterback.

While some of the problems were caused by Caleb Williams, the talent level up-front didn't help either, and the Bears finally recognized something needed to be done thanks to the push from head coach Ben Johnson.

And so, the Bears went to work overhauling the offensive line. To start, Chicago made two trades bringing in two high-level guards in Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson. Then, in free agency, the Bears pulled in the big fish at center in Drew Dalman.

Pair that interior trio with a rising talent at right tackle in Darnell Wright and a healthy competition upcoming at left tackle between a three-year starter against a second-round rookie, you have a pretty strong starting five to protect Williams.

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And how does that new starting five match up against the other 31 teams in the league? Apparently really good.

Pro Football Focus' Zoltán Buday ranked all 32 offensive line units heading into the 2025 season and listed the Bears inside the Top-5 as the fourth-best OL group.

"Things are set to look a lot different in Chicago. Not only is the offensive line remolded, but it's also perhaps the most improved unit in the NFL . . .

Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright, who both finished among the 22 highest-graded offensive tackles in 2024, were already a promising young duo. Now, the unit has three new interior starters who represent immediate upgrades. Trade acquisition Joe Thuney has been the best pass-blocking guard in the NFL in recent years, and free-agent center Drew Dalman ranked among the top five at his position in PFF overall grade in each of the past two seasons. If right guard Jonah Jackson can stay healthy and get back to his old form, this can be one of the NFL's top offensive lines." - PFF's Zoltán Buday

Seeing Chicago's unit inside the Top-5 already shows this plan of attack by the front office can pay off sooner than expected. The best part for the Bears, and their franchise quarterback, is that this unit is now built to sustain that level of expectation.

Bold Plan To Build Long-Term Cohesiveness

Not only was the plan to bring in these three players bold, the deeper details make this plan even bolder for the Bears' front office.

After trading for Thuney and Jackson, both guards received new contract extensions through 2027. In Dalman's case, he received one of the highest annual salaries at the position over the next three seasons.

The reason why? The Bears don't want to have a strong OL in 2025. They want to have a strong line throughout the remainder of Williams' rookie window while making sure these new players have the ability to build some cohesiveness together.

Personally, I'm still a little worried about how this entire unit holds up once we get to the 2025 season. With expectations and rankings like this, it only adds even more pressure for the unit to excel right out of the gate. But, if it pays off, Chicago will be set up front for years to come.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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