Chicago Bears Reportedly Heavily Scouting Wisconsin Standout

The Chicago Bears may be all-in on improving the offensive line. They are reportedly very interested in Wisconsin standout center Joe Tippmann.

When the NFL new year began, most analysts expected Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles to invest heavily in the offensive line. The unit has been a frustrating one over the past decade or so. By losing in the trenches, the offense struggled to score very many points.

There was a question about whether Poles would invest in quarterback Justin Fields. A lot of people expected the two-year signal caller to be traded.

Poles, however, showed he was all in on Fields. He traded the number one overall pick and, in addition to more draft picks, he acquired wide receiver D.J. Moore. In free agency, he picked up tight end Robert Tonyan.

What Poles did not do, though, was go heavy on the offensive line. Despite being linked to nearly all of the top free-agent offensive linemen, he only signed one lineman, guard Nate Davis.

The Bears entered free agency with a big need at right tackle. Now that the initial wave is over, they have the same need. Now it appears that Poles wants to go through the draft to improve the offensive line. There are some who linked the Bears to tackles Darnell Wright or Paris Johnson.

How invested is Poles in the offensive line?

If Poles does pick up a tackle in the first round, would he spend another pick, especially in the next round, on another lineman?

If Poles wants to put Fields in a position to thrive, he needs to protect him. Fields cannot find his new targets if he is on his back. He could do that if he goes back-to-back in the first two rounds.

There are reports that the Bears might be very interested in Wisconsin center Joe Tippmann.

Center is another area of concern. The one thing many people agree on is that Sam Mustipher is not the answer. The Bears also have Cody Whitehair and Lucas Patrick who have experience there.

Whitehair has not played there in a few seasons, though, and Patrick suffered many injuries last season. Also, Patrick is a more natural guard and could be an excellent option in a rotation.

Whitehair could be used as trade bait. Poles can trade him with a post-June 1st designation and save $9.9 million in cap space. In addition to the added cap space, the Bears would receive another draft pick.

Poles stated in the past that this is likely a multi-year rebuild so creating more salary cap space helps him make a move later in the season if the need arises. Furthermore, some of this year’s salary cap rolls over to next year, thus solidifying their spending ability. Additionally, Poles could use the additional draft pick to fill another hole.

Tippmann checks all the boxes that Poles wants in offensive linemen. He is athletic and uses that athleticism when pulling. He can get the snap off and move to the next level very quickly.

At 6-foot-6, 313 pounds, Tippmann is a big blocker who makes a big impact. He also has the strength to keep the middle of the pocket clean for Fields. He could overwhelm defensive tackles.

Tippmann also has a mean streak and a high motor. He keeps pounding defenders and wears them down. Imagine someone his size hitting you for four quarters.

Would Poles go back-to-back?

Would Poles go with offensive line in back-to-back rounds? Well, it is not out of the realm of possibility. Just look at what he did in last year’s draft.

In last year’s draft, the Chicago Bears’ first two picks were in the second round. Poles decided to use both of those picks on the defensive secondary. He selected cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker.

Poles could decide to do the same in this year’s draft. The offensive line is a priority. However, we’ve heard other Chicago Bears general managers claim that they prioritized the offensive line but then failed to do much to solidify the unit.

Having the options that Poles has is exactly what he wanted when he took over in Chicago. He can afford to double down on a unit and still have other picks to fill other holes. This offseason will definitely be the impactful one that many expected.