Bears could immediately upgrade offense with top free agent
The Chicago Bears stand to significantly upgrade a position of weakness by signing one of the NFL’s top free agents.
The Chicago Bears are expected to be the NFL’s biggest spender during the 2023 offseason. With free agency kicking off on March 15, one of the Bears’ top priorities is to solidify its offensive line.
Protecting Justin Fields is critical not only for his development, but for the team’s success as well. One roster hole many are expecting Chicago to fill is at the right tackle position.
In fact, ESPN recently linked the Bears to one of the premier tackles in free agency.
OT Jawaan Taylor
“The Bears have a lot of needs. Protecting Justin Fields is certainly a big one. Fields runs his way into a lot of sacks, but the offensive line last season was not helping things. Improved run-blocking would also be a plus. Enter the 25-year-old Taylor, who was excellent for the Jaguars last season. SIS rated him worth 37 points earned, tying him with Lane Johnson for the top figure among right tackles, and he had only five charted blown blocks on running plays.”
The list is compiled via Football Outsiders, and it shouldn’t be a big surprise to see why the Bears should go after Taylor.
Taylor was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. In Jacksonville, Taylor has not missed a start in 66 games.
Taylor allowed pressure on a measly 2.5% of dropbacks in 2022, which was the 3rd best in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus. He also received a 76.7 pass blocking grade on true pass sets which was 14th best for tackles in the league.
On an offense with so much talent, Taylor was the anchor up front for Trevor Lawrence and company. The 25-year-old checks in at six-foot-five and 315 pounds. His 35-inch arms are his biggest physical attribute, allowing him to keep pass rushers at an arm’s length, literally.
Spotrac projects his market value to be right around the $14-million mark. Though 49ers RT Mike McGlinchey is considered to be the most sought after right tackle on the market, Taylor is equally as effective and comes at a lesser cost. Inking Taylor later on in the week would be considered as a real home run for GM Ryan Poles and the Bears.
