2023 NFL Free Agency: 3 free-agent offensive linemen the Bears should pursue this offseason

With every Chicago Bears loss comes the tracking of their 2023 NFL Draft first-round pick. It makes sense to do that, of course. High first-round picks are the hope of every franchise coming off a losing season. But before we can project which players the Bears should take with their upcoming draft picks, it’s important to remember that GM Ryan Poles will use free agency to fill many of Chicago’s glaring needs.

The Bears are projected to have the most money under the salary cap entering the 2023 free-agency signing period. In fact, it won’t even be close. If Chicago has their heart set on a player, he’s as good as theirs.

We’ve already touched on three wide receivers the Bears should pursue once the spending spree kicks off, but if Poles doesn’t take steps to upgrade the offensive line, it won’t matter how good the weapons at wideout are.

Here are three offensive linemen that would make sense for the Chicago Bears in free agency.

Other Free Agency Previews: WR

Elgton Jenkins, OL, Green Bay Packers

No free-agent lineman makes more sense for the Bears than Elgton Jenkins, whose positional versatility would allow Chicago to play him anywhere they need an upgrade. The most logical fit is at center. Jenkins would provide the Bears with an elite talent experienced in OC Luke Getsy’s system. He’d be a significant improvement over Lucas Patrick and would likely mark the end of Sam Mustipher’s career in Chicago.

Jenkins has shuffled between right tackle and left guard this season after tearing his ACL in 2021. The Bears will likely stick with Braxton Jones at left tackle in 2023, making Jenkins a fantastic upgrade at right tackle.

Bottom line? Jenkins should be very high on the Bears’ free-agent wish list, if not at the top.

Mike McGlinchey, RT, San Francisco 49ers

If the Chicago Bears want a traditional upgrade at right tackle, Mike McGlinchey will fit the bill. The No. 9 overall pick from the 2018 NFL Draft, McGlinchey has been a mainstay on the 49ers’ offensive line and has provided San Francisco with reliable play on the right side. Is he elite? No. Is he better than anyone the Bears have on their roster? Absolutely.

McGlinchey suffered a season-ending quadriceps injury in 2021, but he’s rebounded nicely this year. At 28 years old, he has several seasons of high-level play left in the tank. Replacing Larry Borom or Riley Reiff with McGlinchey would be a free-agency victory for Poles.

Orlando Brown Jr., LT, Kansas City Chiefs

If the Chicago Bears decide Braxton Jones didn’t do enough in 2022 to maintain a starting role next year, Orlando Brown Jr. would be a top-shelf signing at left tackle. He’ll have a top-of-the-market valuation that could pay him north of $22 million per season, according to Spotrac. The Bears have the money to spend big on a player like Brown, so don’t rule out a move like this despite the fun story Jones has been this season.

Brown, 26, would be a long-term solution to block Justin Fields’ blindside.