Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images
In this 13-part series, we’ll take an in-depth look at each position group for the Chicago Bears with an eye toward the 2025 season. We’ll speculate on who stays, who goes, and some potential additions we’d like to see general manager Ryan Poles make.
The
Chicago Bears have a desperate need on the interior of their offensive line, as all three starters are free agents. I went over center a couple of days ago, so here are the Bears’ current guards.
Teven Jenkins - Free agent - Jenkins has never played a full NFL season, which is something teams will factor into any contract offer he receives. His rookie season saw him start two of the six games he played in. He missed nine games in his next two years, but he only missed three games in 2024.
Pro Football Focus ranks Tev as the third-best free agent guard behind the
Kansas City Chiefs’ Trey Smith and the
Indianapolis Colts Will Fries.
Here’s what PFF had to say about Jenkins.
Jenkins is a force to be reckoned with on most Sundays; the issue over his career thus far has been getting on the field on Sundays. There are some occasional whiffs to clean up in pass protection, but it can’t exactly help his pass-set footwork going from right tackle to left tackle to left guard while also rehabbing a bunch over his rookie contract. Fellow 2021 second-round draft pick Sam Cosmi signed a four-year, $74 million extension with the
Washington Commanders before the 2024 campaign, which could serve as a favorable comparison for Jenkins, as Cosmi also kicked inside from tackle to guard and missed some time to injury through his first three seasons.
SB Nation has Jenkins ranked as the second-best free agent guard behind Trey Smith.
When he’s on the field, Jenkins is a force, and he’s also one of the top free agent guards who plays on the left side.
Matt Pryor - Free agent - I’d like to see Pryor return, but the talk amongst some fans that he could be a stop-gap starter in 2025 is silly to me. He’s a quality reserve who can fill in at guard or tackle, but I’d rather not see him penciled in as a starter.
Bill Murray - Exclusive rights free agent - Even more silly is the Bill Murray as a starter discourse. I expect he’ll return as the ERFA number is low, but he’ll be back to compete for a depth job. He’s appeared in three games on offense in his entire career, all last year, for a grand total of 42 snaps. His looking solid in half a game against the Panthers isn't enough to anoint him the second coming of Mark Bortz.
Jordan McFadden - Signed through 2026 - The Bears claimed McFadden off the waiver wire a few weeks ago. He only appeared in one game last season, but as a rookie in 2023, he started 2 of the 12 games he played in for the
Chargers. He’s a good athlete, so good that Jim Harbaugh flirted with playing him at fullback last offseason, so it’ll be interesting to see what Ben Johnson could cook up for him.
Chris Glaser - Signed through 2025* - The Bears signed Glaser to a reserve/futures deal after he spent last year on the practice squad.
*He’ll be a restricted free agent in 2026.
Ryan Bates - Signed through 2025 - I had Bates on the center list, too, but he can also play guard, is only 28, and only counts $4 million on the cap, which isn’t that bad for a reserve. But cutting him won’t bring a dead money hit, so I could see this going either way.
For those curious, Nate Davis still counts as $2 million in dead cap for the 2025 season.
2025 OUTLOOK - Trey Smith makes the most sense due to his health (1 missed game in four years), age (he’ll turn 26 in June), and pedigree (he just made the
Pro Bowl), but he’s going to be expensive.
Also, the Bears need two starting guards, so if Smith is one, where do they turn for the other?
The injury issue is a factor for Jenkins, but Fries only played in five games last season, and he’s a guy many fans are pining over. Another iOL fans are hoping for is center Drew Dalman, and he’s missed 11 games in the last two years. The
Detroit Lions’ Kevin Zeitler is another top guard who could be available in free agency, and while he’s had a good run on health in his career, he’s also turning 35 in March.
The Bears obviously know Jenkins best, so if they do entertain an offer to him, that likely means they feel the injuries are isolated, unfortunate incidents and not something that has compiled and will worsen over time.
Free agent guard Brandon Scherff is an example of a guy pegged with the injury-prone label after missing 25 games from 2017 to 2021 for Washington, but he played in every game the last three years for the Jaguars.
If the Bears want a guy who has experience as a left guard, then San Francisco’s Aaron Banks or the versatile Patrick Mekari from the Ravens could be options.
Regardless of what the Bears do in free agency, they need to look to the draft, too. Some scouts feel the top tackles in the class would be better at guard, but if you want a guard, then draft a guard.
Alabama’s Tyler Booker has been getting first-round buzz, and Georgia’s Tate Ratledge and Dylan Fairchild could be options on day two.
If you’re looking for a later-round prospect who can also play center, North Carolina’s Willie Lampkin has fun tape. His wrestling background shows up with his use of leverage, and in this clip, he’s controlling a guy listed at 6’7”, 340 pounds.
Willie Lampkin is one of my favorite guys to watch in the 2025 NFL Draft
5’10” and 270 at center but textbook technique, athletic, strong anchor. Don’t let the measurements fool you — he can play
Here he is stonewalling Deone Walker via
@Mason_Kinnahan pic.twitter.com/8k2WKsn43J
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24)
February 17, 2025
What do you think the Bears will do at guard this offseason?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25750851/2nd_City_Gridiron_Windy_City_Gridiron_Share_Card.png)
