Few things are more important to Caleb Williams’ future and the Bears’ chances of moving out of the NFC North basement than strengthening the offensive line. During his rookie season, Williams took 68 sacks, limiting his ability to gain confidence in the pocket and significantly disrupting any hope for the Bears’ offense to get back on track. This could be about to change.
Could the Bears pursue Texas OT Kelvin Banks? Jordan Plocher and Josh Liskiewitz of Pro Football Focus compiled a list of the “Perfect” NFL Draft fits for each team in the league, selecting Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks for the Bears. “While some of Chicago’s pass protection issues in 2024 were certainly on rookie QB Caleb Williams (he led all QBs with 17 charged sacks and was third with 38 total pressures owned),” Plocher and Liskiewitz submit to PFF. “Overall, the offensive line was definitely one of the league’s poorest units.
“Banks makes great sense, given that he was the top player on the finest offensive line in college football this season. In two seasons as the Longhorns’ starting left tackle, he allowed only two sacks and three quarterback hits in 1,040 pass pro repetitions. Banks’ consistency in pass protection might be a valuable tool for both Williams, who is entering his second NFL season, and the Bears’ offense as a whole. While the Bears are likely to focus the offensive line this offseason, Banks could be the most pro-ready tackle in the class.
“Overall,” The Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department writes. “Banks is a skilled pass protector with good athletic ability who works effectively on combination blocks and can line up targets on the move but will fall off of blocks on longer developing plays and struggle to finish due to streaky sustain skills consistently.”
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