I don't think too many people disagree on the fact that the Chicago Bears offensive line needs to improve for the Bears to have a truly strong chance at a Super Bowl run. However, is the line bad enough that the Bears should automatically focus on an offensive lineman with their first-round draft pick (19th overall)? Hesitantly, I say no, not necessarily.
The issue isn't that I don't think the line needs improvement, it's that there are other areas that could use some tune-ups, and are extremely important to the success of the Bears. Lastly, the Bears have drafted lineman the last few years (Gabe Carimi, Chris Williams) and we still don't know the extent of how well these men can play. I'm not arguing that these players are going to be pro bowl-caliber players necessarily, I'm just saying you can only interject so many people into the mix if you want to find out what you have. It might be wise to wait another year and see how these players develop.
The corner back and defensive end positions are also of dire importance to the Chicago Bears. While every position is important to every team, the success of the Bears —defense specifically—is largely determined on whether or not they can pressure the opposing quarterback with only their four linemen. Julius Peppers has proven to be an exemplary signing for the Bears, but they need another strong pass rusher to play opposite him. Potentially, the Bears could opt for that direction. At corner back, the Bears need an upgrade. Charles Tillman has done strong work for the team —he's the best ball strip artist I have ever seen—but has never really been a "shut-down" corner. Tim Jennings, D.J Moore, and others have been adequate, but hardly great. They can be, but aren't consistent. An upgrade needs to at least be on the horizon.
There is also the chance the Bears could opt for another wide receiver despite their signing of Brandon Marshall to really bolster their receiving corps. The apparent slow recovery of Johnny Knox from his ugly back injury last season might potentially make the receiver choice a more realistic option.
After all that, I still think the Bears should draft an offensive lineman in the first round unless there is someone at another position that they didn't expect to still be on the board at number 19. I think all of the above are valid directions for the Bears to go, but Jay Cutler has shown that when he has some protection, he is absolutely lethal. When you add in Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall, and others, protection for Cutler could mean tremendous things for the Bears in 2012.
Brian is a lifelong Chicago Bears fan, having lived in Illinois his entire life and having followed the NFL throughout.
Sources
Analysts Disagree on Bears' Pick
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