How the 2022 NFL Draft impacts Bears’ starting lineup

Whether the 2022 NFL draft was a success for Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles largely depends on who you ask. But for Bears fans who want the team to build through the offensive line and a strong defense, this year’s 11-player draft class was great.

It wasn’t so great for a few veterans on the roster who were hoping to line up as a starter in 2022. Here’s how the Bears’ 2022 NFL Draf impacts Chicago’s starting lineup this year.

Cornerback

Second-round pick Kyler Gordon is going to start. There’s no doubt about that. Thomas Graham Jr. was a fantastic find in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft, and he has a bright future as part of the Bears’ defense. But his chances of starting in his second season have been all but erased with Gordon in place. The Bears’ defense now boasts two legitimate shut-down cornerbacks (Gordon and Jaylon Johnson) in a league highlighted by high-flying passing offenses. That’s a big advantage for Head Coach Matt Eberflus’ defense entering the 2022 season.

Safety

The Bears’ other second-round pick, Jaquan Brisker, is a lock to start opposite Eddie Jackson. It’s a good thing he’s in Chicago, before the NFL Draft, the starting safety job was up for grabs between DeAndre Houston-Carson and Dane Cruikshank. Both players are excellent special teams contributors, but neither profile as a full-time starter on defense. Brisker is a considerable improvement and an excellent bet to be the Bears’ most valuable rookie in 2022.

Right guard

Four of the five spots on the Bears’ starting offensive line are settled between Teven Jenkins (right tackle), Lucas Patrick (center), Cody Whitehair (left guard), and Larry Borom (left tackle). Borom is the least safe of those four starters, but he will get a shot to prove he belongs in the starting lineup.

Right guard was vacant before the NFL Draft, and while the Bears didn’t add a high-profile prospect to fill that need, San Diego State offensive lineman Zachary Thomas certainly looks the part. The sixth-round pick will compete against his fellow rookie classmates (a total of four offensive linemen were drafted by Poles) and veterans like Dakota Dozier and Dieter Eiselen. Call it a hunch, but I’m betting on Thomas to win that job.

Punter

It’s easy to win a starting job when you’re one of two punters on the roster. Seventh-round pick Trenton Gill has a promising leg, and he was a draft pick. He’ll be given every opportunity to win the job over Ryan Winslow, and barring an atrocious training camp and preseason, the job is his.