Former Yale offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie.
The Chicago Bears have another top-30 visit on the books with one of the more physically gifted offensive tackles in the 2024 NFL draft class.
According to The Draft Network’s Justin Melo, the Bears have an official top-30 visit scheduled with Yale offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie. He started 16 games at left tackle over the past two seasons, but he missed most of the 2023 season with a quad injury.
Amegadjie, who is 6-foot-5 and 326 pounds, showed off his fascinating physical profile at the 2024 NFL Combine. He measured an 85.5-inch wingspan (tied for fifth among the class’s offensive tackles) and 36-inch arms (tied for second). In the Ivy League, he also showed inside-out versatility with extensive snaps played at right guard in 2021.
The term “top-30 visit” refers to the allotted 30 players teams are allowed to bring to their facilities during the pre-draft process. The visits are more personal opportunities for teams to evaluate prospects and can include anything from sit-downs with coaches and executives to physicals and medical testing that help complete a team’s evaluation.
The Bears also have a top-30 visit scheduled with USC quarterback and 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported this news on March 4 following the NFL Combine; although, Williams essentially confirmed it, too, when taking questions at the event.
As of March 18, there have only been two top-30 visits reported for the Bears.
Bears Have Improved OL Since Start of League Year
The Bears got better in their offensive trenches over the past few weeks. No, they did not hand out $100 million contracts to guards like the Carolina Panthers, but they put both their money and their draft capital to work addressing areas of need.
The Bears traded their 2024 fifth-round pick (No. 144) to the Buffalo Bills before the start of free agency for versatile interior lineman Ryan Bates, who can play center as well as both guard spots. General manager Ryan Poles tried to get Bates once before when he signed Bates to an offer sheet during the 2022 offseason. The Bills had to match their offer — four years, $17 million — to keep him, a contract Chicago now owns.
Additionally, Chicago has signed free agent contracts with Coleman Shelton (30 starts at center since 2022) and Matt Pryor (75 career games played at both guard and tackle). Shelton is a strong candidate to contend for the Bears’ starting center job in 2024, as is Bates, while Pryor offers much-needed experience and depth at tackle.
The line isn’t perfect, but it is looking better than it did at the end of the 2023 season. The Bears said goodbye to both Cody Whitehair (release) and Lucas Patrick (free agency) and added two more suitable candidates for their center job in the process. Better yet, they added two guys with experience to aid a No. 1 rookie quarterback.
Of course, there’s always room to keep building …
How Much Will Bears Add to OL During NFL Draft?
The Bears found two veteran candidates to be their starting center. They also return all four of their other starters — Braxton Jones, Teven Jenkins, Nate Davis and Darnell Wright — from last year’s roster, putting them in a good place to take a step forward. Even still, there are compelling reasons to continue adding during the 2024 NFL draft.
The Bears only have four draft selections after trading a fifth-rounder for Bates and a fourth-round pick for veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen. They are almost certainly going to invest their top selection — No. 1 overall — in a new franchise quarterback, too. That leaves Picks 9, 75 and 122 to consider investing in new offensive linemen.
But which positions?
Let’s start with the Bears’ interest in Amegadjie. His top-30 visit suggests they are still interested in adding offensive tackle depth, which tracks considering Pryor is new and Larry Borom has been underwhelming as a swing tackle. While he might be a target for them as high as No. 75, he projects more realistically as a Day 3 selection.
If the Bears want a true competitor for Jones, they could also potentially target an offensive tackle with their No. 9 pick — or if they trade back farther into the round. Poles might not be able to resist if Notre Dame’s Joe Alt is still on the board.
Otherwise, the Bears could look to add more to the guard positions. Jenkins is entering the final year of his contract and Davis struggled during his first year with the team in 2023. Developing depth behind them affords them leverage in future decision-making.