Should the Bears sign a veteran offensive tackle to compete with Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom?

It’s easy to get distracted by the Chicago Bears wide receiver depth chart. The 2022 season is all about the development of quarterback Justin Fields, and with the lack of a true WR1 on the roster, it makes sense that the Bears’ roster has been criticized.

But good pass protection is just as important as the wide receivers Fields will target. It’s actually more important. There’s no value in having a game-changing wide receiver if Fields is running for his life. And good pass protection begins at offensive tackle.

The Bears will field two second-year players at offensive tackle in 2022. Last year’s second-round pick, Teven Jenkins, will start on the right side while 2021’s fifth-rounder, Larry Borom, will man the left side. It’s a risky strategy for a team with so much invested in its young quarterback, but it’s one that general manager Ryan Poles seems prepared to begin the season with.

Neither Jenkins nor Borom did enough in their rookie seasons to garner league-wide respect. Neither is considered one of the NFL’s up-and-coming talents, at least, not yet. In Pro Football Focus’ recent breakdown of the top 32 offensive tackles in the NFL, neither Jenkins nor Borom made the cut. Other second-year players like Los Angeles Chargers star, Rashawn Slater, and Detroit Lions stud, Penei Sewell, both ranked in the top 20 (Slater ranked No. 9, Sewell ranked No. 19).

Chicago Bears roster has issues at offensive tackle

If Borom or Jenkins fails in 2022, the options behind them on the Bears’ roster aren’t great. There are a few unknowns with rookies like Braxton Jones and Ja’Tyre Carter, but neither player is anywhere close to being ready to start an NFL game. Chicago added veteran Julien Davenport in free agency, but his contract — one year, $1.03 million — is proof of his status as a player.

Can the Bears really begin the 2022 season with a depth chart like this?

One veteran who remains unsigned and would make sense for the Bears is Duane Brown, who despite his status as a free agent, ranked 29th on PFF’s list of top offensive tackles.

“Placing Brown this low feels wrong,” PFF’s Ben Linsey wrote. “He’s been one of the better left tackles in the NFL for over a decade across time spent with the Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks. There’s a good chance that Brown’s 71.5 PFF grade in 2021 — the lowest mark he’s recorded since his rookie season in 2008 — is the start of the decline for the 36-year-old, though. He’s still worth a shot on a short-term deal with a team with a need at tackle like the Chicago Bears as the top tackle still available in free agency.”

Brown’s been around for a while. He was the 26th overall pick of the 2008 NFL Draft, and as PFF noted, he’s 36 years old. He doesn’t fit the “rebuild” model, but with Fields being the Bears’ most important asset, his health and safety have to be the team’s priority even if it’s at the expense of a player like Borom’s development. It would be a lot like when the Bears signed Jason Peters last year, Peters became a critical starter despite calls for younger players to gain experience.

Maybe Borom is a star in the making. Jenkins could very easily find himself on PFF’s top offensive tackles list in 2023. We won’t know exactly what the Bears have in their starting duo until the games begin for real. Hopefully, Chicago won’t learn at Fields’ expense. And if there’s any indication in training camp that veteran help is needed, a player like Brown will likely be hanging around for the emergency call.