Former NFL Scout Ranks Bears OL Top Five In NFL

The Chicago Bears will enter the 2026 season with a little more uncertainty on the offensive line than they may have originally thought.

Following the surprising retirement of Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman in March, the Bears looked to retool up front by drafting Iowa center Logan Jones, while also trading for New England Patriots center Garrett Bradbury.

Bradbury looks to be a possible short term answer, with Jones the center of the future if all goes to plan. The team also signed undrafted free agent center Jaren Kump out of Utah.

The left tackle position also remains somewhat of a question after Ozzy Trapilo suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in the Bears’ Wild Card round victory over the Green Bay Packers. Trapilo had come on at the end of 2025 as a possible long term answer at the position. He is not expected to be available until late in the 2026 season, if at all.

Luckily for the Bears, they have veteran LT Braxton Jones available to step in at that position for now.

Elsewhere, the Bears have two standout linemen in LG Joe Thuney and RT Darnell Wright, two of the best in the league at their respective positions. Meanwhile, RG Jonah Jackson rebounded in 2025 after falling off and struggling with injuries out in Los Angeles with the Rams in 2024.

Despite some level of uncertainty at two positions (LT and C) after a stellar performance out of the offensive line in 2025, at least one NFL scout still sees the Bears as an elite unit up front. Former Cleveland Browns scout Scott DiBenedetto, working with Fantasy Points, has the Bears OL ranked as the third best unit in the league.

DiBenedetto projects Jones as the starting left tackle, while he factors in Bradbury at center. Here’s what he has to say about the Bears:

Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson’s offensive line investments worked nearly to perfection in 2025, as the Bears snuck into the “Elite” tier at the end of the season, despite the revolving door at LT. All but one of the starting group returns for 2026, and Chicago is poised to make another run.

Darnell Wright anchored the right side as one of the best run blockers in the league, and RG Jonah Jackson followed suit with a quality season in the run game. LG Joe Thuney was unshockingly outstanding in protection and grinded out a strong run-blocking campaign. What excites me most about this group is that Braxton Jones’ absence didn’t derail it.

Jones made it through Week 4 before sitting for two weeks and being placed on IR. Theo Benedet and Ozzy Trapilo held firm before Trapilo’s late-season patellar tendon injury. Jones has to rebound in 2026, but the Bears have quality depth behind him.

The biggest change is at center, as Garrett Bradbury was acquired via trade after Drew Dalman retired. Bradbury was below average last year in New England, but should fit into Chicago’s well-established OL. This group should be in the top 10 all season.

Football Insights’ composite ranking has the Bears at the fourth best in the league.

How do you feel about the Bears’ offensive line heading into 2026? Let us know in the comments below!