Chicago Bears linked to three-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle in free agency

The Chicago Bears could land a three-time Pro Bowl OT

The Chicago Bears need help on the offensive line next season. The Bears’ pass blocking has been pitiful this season. The offensive line has given up 42 sacks through 13 games. While injuries didn’t help them during the season, they came into the year ranked poorly. One analyst suggests the Bears add an offensive tackle who has been to the Pro Bowl three times.

The Bears have had their struggles all over the offensive line. There are weeks when the interior line is the problem, and then there are times with the offensive tackles are horrendous. Especially in pass protection. Bo Wulf wrote a piece for The Athletic on free agency possibilities for all 32 teams. Wulf thinks the Bears should look at adding Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr.

“The Bears enter the offseason projected to have the most cap room in the league. They have a franchise quarterback they desperately need to protect better — Fields’ 13.7 percent sack rate is far and away the highest in the league and the highest since David Carr in 2005. It’s convenient, then, that Brown could hit free agency. The Chiefs would presumably love to retain the 26-year-old, but they may have to franchise him a second time to do so. If he hits the market, the Bears, with a general manager in Ryan Poles who used to play on the offensive line and worked most recently for the Chiefs, seem like too perfect a fit.”

Brown would be an excellent pickup for the Chicago Bears

Signing Brown would be a legitimate way to help quarterback Justin Fields pass the ball better in 2023. Brown is a better pass protector than a run blocker. The 26-year-old has earned a 71.1 overall grade by Pro Football Focus for his first 13 games this season. Brown has only given up three sacks in a pass-heavy offense that’s seen him in pass protection for 611 snaps so far.

Brown would be a legitimate Pro Bowl-caliber left offensive tackle for the Chicago Bears. With Alex Leatherwood showing signs of progress, the Bears could have their tackle situation figured out for 2023. That would mean relegating Braxton Jones and Larry Borom to their rightful place, backups. They’d just need to focus on the interior part of the line.

Brown’s price tag ($16.6 million in 2022.) isn’t cheap, but the Bears will have enough money this offseason to get a deal done.

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