For years, the Chicago Bears have neglected the offensive line early on in the NFL Draft. They took swings at some players in the first round within the last two decades, such as Marc Colombo in 2002, Chris Williams in 2008, Gabe Carimi in 2011, and Kyle Long in 2013. Long was the only player to pan out while the other three were busts in the navy and orange. But they were also players mostly picked later in the first round.
That changed with the selection of Tennessee tackle Darnell Wright with the No. 10 overall pick. The Bears traded down one spot with the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2024 fourth-round pick and still got their guy in Wright, who projects to be the team’s starting right tackle almost immediately.
You have to go back 40 years to 1983 to find the last time the Bears spent a top 10 pick on an offensive lineman. That was where they selected Hall of Fame tackle Jimbo Covert with the No. 6 overall pick in what turned out to be a loaded draft class.
Covert was a key player during the Bears’ dominant run in the 1980s. He made multiple Pro Bowls and helped pave running lanes for legendary running back Walter Payton while giving Jim McMahon enough time in the pocket to make plays downfield. Covert helped the Bears win Super Bowl XX and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2020.
The Bears sought a solution to help their new franchise quarterback in McMahon (selected one year earlier) stay upright. Covert played left tackle and the offense improved each season he was on the team. They invested in their valuable offensive players and it led to success the Bears haven’t come close to seeing since. Now the 2023 Bears are doing the same thing, drafting one of the top offensive tackles in the draft to help protect Justin Fields.
This certainly isn’t to say Chicago just drafted a future Hall of Fame tackle or that they’ll go on to win the Super Bowl in a couple of years. But the offense improved considerably when top resources went to the offensive line back in the 1980s. For one reason or another, the Bears neglected to spend a top-10 pick on that position over the years, despite having ample opportunities while passing up elite talent that was still on the board. They took a swing this time and the hope is Wright pays dividends for not only Fields, but the rest of the offense as whole.
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