The Chicago Bears are preparing to enter a season with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. When the Bears’ current head coach, Ben Johnson, was with the Lions, the team was a perennial contender during his final three seasons in Detroit. So Johnson understands how to handle expectations and what a team has to accomplish to maintain success.
One of Johnson’s former Lions players, offensive tackle Taylor Decker, was recently listed as a top bargain the Bears should explore.
Taylor Decker Would Provide Chicago Bears With An Experienced And Reliable O-Line Option
GettyTaylor Decker was selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft with the 16th overall pick by the Detroit Lions.
“After the Lions failed to work out a contract adjustment with Taylor Decker, the longtime starting left tackle was granted his release from the team. The soon-to-be 33-year-old has been available ever since,” Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox recapped.
“The Chicago Bears would also be a solid landing spot for Decker, and not just because of his connection to Ben Johnson. The Bears have late-2025 starter Ozzy Trapilo coming off a torn patellar tendon and no clear leader in their camp competition at left tackle.”
Ben Johnson acknowledged the instability at the position, stating, “It’s been a little bit of a revolving door,” per The Athletic’s Dan Wiederer.
The current favorite to start is Trapilo; however, as Knox alluded to, he is coming off a significant injury he suffered in January. Braxton Jones, Theo Benedet, Jedrick Wills Jr., and Kiran Amegadjie are the other players in contention for the position.
The Bears would sidestep any learning curve by reuniting Johnson with his former Pro Bowl tackle while also granting the team a reliable option on the line with playoff experience.
Decker has started all 140 games he has been active in.
The biggest downside for Decker is the limitations his play comes with at this point in his career. While he’s been a staple for the Lions for 10 seasons, his protection has declined in recent years.
Pro Football Focus graded him 41st among active tackles in 2025.
Perhaps a change of scenery would help Decker bounce back, and pairing him with a coach known for targeting his players’ strengths wouldn’t hurt either. As a starter or a depth piece, Decker makes sense as a veteran presence in the Bears’ locker room, especially for a cheap value.
Theo Benedet Making His Case For Bears’ Starting Left Tackle Spot
GettyChicago Bears guard/tackle Theo Benedet and head coach Ben Johnson.
After Jedrick Wills Jr. and Kiran Amegadjie have failed to move the needle in the offensive tackle race following the first week of preseason, the team appears to be re-exploring 2024 undrafted free agent guard Theo Benedet as an option.
Jones beat Benedet for the starting job last offseason before Benedet stole the opportunity back after Week 4 of last season.
Ben Johnson spoke on Benedet’s chances of moving into the starting role, saying, “When we looked at last year as a whole, this guy is an asset in the run game. The pass pro was a little behind. I think we have seen a guy who is in better position fundamentally. Most of that has been on the right side. We want to see what that’s looks like on the left side.”
The timeline is getting shorter for Chicago to make a decision. As Trapilo works his way back, Benedet has a chance to flip the script from last season and get the edge over Jones if he performs well against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2 of the preseason.
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