For Caleb Williams-driven Bears offense, this unit must be top-notch

In an offseason of splashy moves in the Windy City, the Chicago Bears reloaded their offense with weapons all over the field.

In the NFL Draft, Chicago used top-10 picks to select USC quarterback Caleb Williams (No. 1) and Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze (No. 9). In free agency, the Bears — who open training camp Friday — signed running back D'Andre Swift and tight end Gerald Everett. They traded for veteran Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen in March.

But for Chicago to contend for a playoff spot, the offensive line must be top-notch.

With Justin Fields gone, it's not worth arguing who was more at fault for some of the issues that plagued Chicago while he served as quarterback over three seasons.

According to Pro Football Reference , Fields was sacked 44 times last season, the fifth most in the league. He was also one of four quarterbacks to be sacked at least 10% of the time he dropped back to pass.

Williams and the offensive line must collectively be better in 2024.

Chicago — which is 16-35 over the past three seasons — has four returning starters on its line in left tackle Braxton Jones, left guard Teven Jenkins, right guard Nate Davis and right tackle Darnell Wright. At center, the Bears signed Coleman Shelton and Ryan Bates in the offseason.

The Bears also drafted offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie from Yale in the third round. Continuity could be a game changer for the unit. Last season, the Bears started six different combinations through the first eight games.

But, as Pro Football Focus notes, "the Bears' offensive line, as it got healthy, was one of the top units in the NFL toward the second half of the 2023 season.

Per PFF , the Bears have the 11th-best offensive line in the NFL heading into this season. Recently, ESPN analyst Mike Clay gave the unit a 2.8 grade (4.0 is tops), but much of the line's perceived success will depend on the development of the team's rookie quarterback.

In 2023, Fields ranked first in the league in time in the pocket at 2.8 seconds, yet he ranked fifth in scrambles (43) and 24th in completions (227). Williams must be better at getting rid of the ball — he will certainly have the weapons to do that.

If he gets the same time to throw as Fields, it seems nearly impossible for Chicago to remain stagnant. And if that leap is made, the Windy City might welcome back playoff football for the first time since 2020.