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Entering year three of the Justin Fields era, the Chicago Bears spent all offseason revamping their roster. However, there are still a few missing pieces the Bears could look to fill before training camp.
The Bears traded for Fields' new WR1 in DJ Moore. In the same deal, they moved down in the NFL Draft and still came away with impressive offensive lineman Darnell Wright. Fields and Chicago's entire offense is in a much better spot than last season.
Still, the Bears allowed Fields to be sacked 55 times last year. Their offense as a whole ranked 28th in total offense, averaging 307.8 yards per game. Even with all of their additions, Chicago knows Rome nor their offense will be built overnight.
To ensure maximum offensive success, Justin Fields needs to be upright in the pocket. Still available on the free agent market, the Bears should sign former Denver Broncos offensive lineman Dalton Risner to ensure Fields has plenty of time to make plays.
What Risner brings
Risner was originally a second-round pick by the Broncos in the 2019 NFL Draft. Still just 28-years-old, Risner would bring some needed veteran leadership to the offensive line.
The guard started 62 games over his four years in Denver, never appearing in less than 15 games. During the 2022 season, Risner allowed just three sacks and took one penalty over 967 snaps. If the Broncos truly let him walk, Risner would be of interest to many teams around the NFL.
Chicago should be one of them. Fields needs a strong offensive line in front of him. As the Bears look to take a step forward, Risner would add on to their growing foundation.
Current Chicago Configuration
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Alongside Wright, the Bears added onto their offensive line this offseason with free agent Nate Davis. He is poised to start at right guard while Teven Jenkins moves to left. While Jenkins has shown sparks of greatness, Chicago is instilling quite a bit of confidence in him.
Jenkins was the Bears' second-round pick in 2021. Injuries have set the guard back thus far as he has appeared in just 19 games at the NFL level. If injuries, or overall inefficiency start to creep back up again, the Bears need to have a sound backup plan.
Jenkins does have strong momentum on his side. He earned an impressive 80.7 grade from PFF in 2022. But even if Risner serves in a swing tackle role, Chicago needs to ensure Jenkins is fully healthy and ready to take on a full-time role.
Bears growth
Coming off of a 4-13 season, the Bears knew changes had to be made. While it might be hard to jump into immediate playoff contention, some form of growth needs to be shown in 2023 to prove the organization is heading in the right direction.
Dalton Risner won't suddenly turn the Bears around on his own. In Chicago, there's a chance Jenkins could even hold him off for the starting role. However, Chicago can take no chances when it comes to their offensive line. Any weakness in the trenches could lead to Fields' downfall.
Adding players like Moore, Davis and Wright had the Bears looking in a much brighter trajectory in 2023. Signing Risner would be the final cherry on top and would give Chicago an impressive addition at a position in need. After last year's offensive line problems, the Bears aren't looking for a repeat performance.
