Chicago Bears: 3 Free agent flyers to help offensive line

It wouldn’t hurt if the Chicago Bears kicked the tires on some free agent offensive linemen.

As the Chicago Bears know all too well, an NFL team can never have enough quality offensive linemen. The Bears are hoping that the interior of their offensive line — Kyle Long, Cody Whitehair and James Daniels — is set for years to come. But the offensive tackle position is another story.

Charles Leno signed a four-year, $37 million contract last year and seems to be locked-in at left tackle for at least the next two seasons. However, right tackle Bobby Massie is a free agent after this season and has struggled in his previous two years with the team.

At this point in the offseason, there are virtually no starting-caliber offensive linemen available in free agency. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t players who the Bears could take a chance on.

Here are three names to keep an eye on:

Luke Joeckel

Joeckel, the second-overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, has been a major disappointment. He started as a tackle with the Jaguars before being tried out as a guard by the Seattle Seahawks last year. The physical tools are there, but he’s never been able to put it all together.

The Bears could sign him to a one-year, “prove-it” deal in the hopes that he could be a quality swing tackle and backup guard. If (and that’s a big if) he performed well, he could even be a candidate to replace Massie in 2019.

Zane Beadles

Beadles, 32, signed a three-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016, but under-performed as a starter. His play has regressed in recent years, but he might be worth a spot on the 90-man training camp roster to mentor young linemen like Whitehair and Daniels. It wouldn’t be a bad thing if the Bears brought in more competition for Eric Kush (coming off a torn hamstring) at the top offensive guard backup spot.

Derek Newton

Of all the free agent offensive linemen still available, Newton might be one of the best. However, he has torn the patella tendon in both of his knees and missed the entire 2017 season. He reportedly is close to a return, and it wouldn’t hurt if the Bears looked into his situation.

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Newton was a very serviceable right tackle with the Houston Texans and was given a five-year extension in 2015 (Newton was released this April). If he’s healthy, Newton might even be an upgrade over Bobby Massie.

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