4 things that can make or break the Chicago Bears 2023 season

The Chicago Bears’ offensive line still has question marks

Ryan Poles invested a first-round pick and free-agent dollars to improve the right side of the line. Teven Jenkins was good at right guard, but right tackle was a weak spot on the line. Larry Borom struggled to the point he was benched for veteran Riley Reiff.

Reiff provided some stability at that position but departed via free agency. It was not like Reiff was playing like an all-pro or something.

Jenkins will shift over to left guard to make room for Nate Davis. Darnell Wright is a major upgrade over Borom or Reiff.

Wright was one of the best tackles in the SEC.

He gave up zero sacks in his last 19 games at Tennessee. Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson Jr., the No. 3 pick in the draft, said Wright was one of the toughest tackles he faced all year.

The talent might be better, although it has nowhere else to go but up as the Chicago Bears had one of the worst pass-blocking offensive lines. Fields was sacked more than 50 times last season. Some of that was because Fields held onto the ball too long. A lot of it was because the line provided about as much protection as a piece of paper standing up to a stiff wind.

Cody Whitehair is set to move from left guard back to center. Whitehair made a Pro Bowl as a center in 2018. He also had problems snapping the ball. I do not know about you, but I like centers that can snap the ball.

Then there is Braxton Jones.

He played every snap at left tackle last season after he was taken in the fifth round out of school Southern Utah. Jones has the size and length to play left tackle for a decade. His running blocking was pretty good. He could not handle a bull rush from pass rushers.

He got shoved around. The Bears are going to run it back this season with him as the starter. That is still a concern.

The Chicago Bears are going to start a second-year player at left tackle who must prove he can handle the most basic pass-rush move. Then they are going to roll out a rookie at right tackle. It means there is still a good chance Fields will be feeling pressure from the edge as Wright acclimates himself to the NFL game and Jones deals with power rush moves.

Jones still has the potential to be a good left tackle.

If he can get stronger in the offseason, he should be able to handle the bull rush better. Then he will have to show that he can handle counter moves.

The line should be better, but it is still up in the air if the offensive line will be good enough to give Fields the time he needs to pick apart offenses.