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Bears QB Caleb Williams

After watching Caleb Williams get sacked 68 times in 2024, the Bears rebuilt the offensive line into one of the NFL’s best. The results showed as Chicago finished sixth in total offense, third in rushing, and Williams took just 24 sacks in year two.

However, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox is pointing to offensive line regression as the biggest threat to the Chicago Bears’ offense in 2026. And considering what changed up front this offseason, it’s hard to disagree.

The Bears are suddenly dealing with major questions up front

GettyBears QB Caleb Williams and Former Center Drew Dalman

The Chicago Bears entered the offseason believing their offensive line foundation was set for years to come. Then everything changed.

Center Drew Dalman retired after just one season in Chicago. Left tackle Ozzy Trapilo suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in the playoffs and is unlikely to play at all in 2026.

Chicago has answers at left guard (Joe Thuney, All-Pro), right tackle (Darnell Wright, All-Pro), and right guard (Jonah Jackson)… The problems are at the two positions that matter most for a young quarterback: left tackle and center.

At left tackle, Braxton Jones enters camp as the leader after returning from injury. Ben Johnson has spoken well of Jones’ offseason approach, which counts for something. But Jones has never strung together a full healthy season.

Jedrick Wills Jr., signed as insurance, showed up to minicamp late and worked with the third team offense. While Theo Benedet, a former undrafted free agent who started games last year by necessity, is also in the mix.

At center, the Bears used their second round pick (57th overall) on Logan Jones out of Iowa, then traded for veteran Garrett Bradbury as the short term bridge. 

Ben Johnson’s praise of Bradbury during the offseason suggests the veteran starts, with Jones working into the lineup as the season progresses. That’s a reasonable plan but it’s also one built on a lot of optimism.

The difference between contender and pretender may be the offensive line

GettyBears WR Luther Burden III

What makes this scenario especially concerning is that the Chicago Bears’ skill position talent should be good enough to overcome most other problems.

Caleb Williams is coming off a breakout second season. Rome Odunze looks poised for an even bigger role after DJ Moore‘s departure. Luther Burden III remains one of the league’s most exciting young playmakers, while Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland give Ben Johnson plenty of versatility at tight end.

But the 2024 version of this offense ranked 27th in yards per carry and let Williams get hit 68 times. That offense existed with basically the same skill talent. The difference was the line.

Now, because of Dalman’s retirement and Trapilo’s injury, the possibility of offensive line regression has quietly become one of the biggest storylines entering training camp.

The good news for Chicago is that it still has elite building blocks in Joe Thuney and Darnell Wright, along with a proven offensive architect in Johnson. That gives the Bears a much higher floor than they had two years ago.

Still, Knox’s warning shouldn’t be ignored.

The Bears have enough talent to compete for a championship in 2026… But if the offensive line unexpectedly takes a step backward, Chicago could find itself reliving a frustrating chapter that everyone thought was already closed.