Heading into NFL Combine week, I didn’t really have many free agent tackles on my radar for the Chicago Bears. Darnell Wright is a lock on the right side next year, and I assumed the left tackle position would be one GM Ryan Poles might address come draft time. That was until Poles spoke to the media earlier this week.
Among the notes from the Bears GM’s press conference, a nugget that jumped out at me was how he spoke about the left tackle position.
Poles said that there will be “some competition” at that spot this season, citing wanting to build an offensive line with the best five starters. He also acknowledged that while Jones is progressing from his season-ending ankle injury, there’s still some uncertainty there and the Bears will have to see how he comes out on the other side of his recovery process.
Bears GM Ryan Poles says that LT Braxton Jones is on schedule in his rehab but did note there will be competition at the LT spot. #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/jJK6MjE5TI
— Bears on CHSN (@CHSN_Bears) February 25, 2025I expected the Bears to move quickly on interior linemen in free agency this offseason, and from there decide the path they want to take in the draft. I still think that’s how they’ll operate, but I think Poles also opened the door for a few other paths — one of which would be adding a veteran tackle in free agency like Ronnie Stanley.
Bears Have Offensive Line Issues To Address — Is Ronnie Stanley a Solution?
I’ll preface this by saying I’m a fan of Braxton Jones. I think he’s more than just an above average, good value player at that position. I think that he’s just good in general. No, he’s not a top-five left tackle in the NFL, but he’s put together a pretty solid body of work in Chicago.
However, he’s entering the last year of his rookie contract and he’s coming off a pretty brutal ankle injury. After gambling a bit on his offensive line personnel last year, Bears General Manager Ryan Poles can’t afford to do that again this year. Bringing back Braxton Jones as your starter might represent a gamble. As would banking on your favorite tackle or two in the draft lasting until the 10th overall pick. Bringing in a tackle with a second or third round selection to compete with Jones is a different type of risk.
With that in mind, maybe targeting Ronnie Stanley in free agency makes sense.
Now, to get out ahead of this, it does seem like the Ravens retaining Ronnie Stanley is the most likely outcome. Baltimore’s GM Eric DeCosta said as much when meeting with the media at the Combine earlier this week:
"I'm optimistic that we'll be able to get a deal done."GM Eric DeCosta on Ronnie Stanley: pic.twitter.com/Odgpm4gcVJ
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) February 25, 2025Plus, Stanley will be 31 years old when the 2025 NFL season kicks off. He’s likely not going to command a massive, long-term deal. His contract right now via PFF is projected to be $40 million over two years, with $27 million guaranteed.
If Ronnie Stanley does make it to free agency without a new deal, though, the Bears should at least make a phone call. Stanley is a veteran tackle who’s been an anchor on very good offensive lines in Baltimore. He has been part of a winning culture his entire career. Last year, he ranked as the 16th-best tackle (both right and left) in pass protection via Pro Football Focus. For comparison, Braxton Jones ranked just behind him at 17th.
Would Stanley be a touch expensive for a slight upgrade over Braxton Jones? Sure. But the Bears also have money to spend. And with the news of Trey Smith getting Franchise Tagged by the Kansas City Chiefs, the Bears are in a position to reallocate any funds that would’ve otherwise gone toward their pursuit of the Pro Bowl right guard.
I’m firmly of the position that the Bears need to add to the interior of their offensive line. However, outside of Darnell Wright, no one from last year’s group is a lock. If the Bears end up with Drew Dalman, Kevin Zeitler, and someone else once free agency hits, that would be awesome. However, if they miss out on a few of the top interior OL or they feel like they’re going to come up empty, pursuing Ronnie Stanley if he’s still out there should be on the table.
Having too many options on the offensive line is better than whatever the hell last year was. If you bring in Stanley, do you face a potential logjam at left tackle? Of course. But maybe you can bump Braxton Jones inside. Maybe Jones’s ankle recovery doesn’t go perfectly. Maybe Jones doesn’t feel like playing on the final year of his rookie deal without an extension and holds out.
© Daniel Bartel-Imagn ImagesAll in all, there are just so many uncertainties on this offensive line right now. As much as I like Braxton Jones, he should be considered an uncertainty until he is proven to be healthy. Ryan Poles admitted as much above. There is no room for question marks or uncertainty next season on the offensive line. Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson knows how important a good offensive line is. Quarterback Caleb Williams knows exactly how a bad one can hurt you.
Adding Ronnie Stanley would represent a step toward certainty. He is a known commodity. The Bears are in a position where they need to have more knowns than unknowns, especially on their offensive line and when it comes to putting Caleb Williams in the best position to succeed. Depending on how the free agency dominoes fall, targeting Ronnie Stanley and adding him on a two-year, $40 million deal most certainly won’t put the Bears in a worse position to check those boxes.
Truly, I still think the most likely option if Ryan Poles were to add a tackle in free agency would be someone like Tyron Smith. A free agent tackle who turns 35 in December, Smith could likely be had on a one-year deal that wouldn’t put a huge dent in the Bears’ cap space. But if Poles is truly serious about wanting to build an offensive line with the best five players he can, he would be foolish not to at least consider Ronnie Stanley.
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