The Chicago Bears have about a month before training camp opens, and one roster problem still sticks out like a sore thumb: left tackle.
With Ozzy Trapilo likely to miss most of the 2026 season because of a ruptured patellar tendon, Chicago is staring at an open battle for the starting job. Braxton Jones, Jedrick Wills Jr., and others are in the mix, but that kind of uncertainty is hard to live with at a position this important.
That’s why Taylor Decker makes so much sense for Ryan Poles to target before late July.
Decker is still available after asking the Lions for his release in March because of contract disagreements. He spent 10 seasons in Detroit, started 140 games, and earned a Pro Bowl nod two years ago in 2024 while protecting Jared Goff’s blind side.
Even last season, the 32-year-old held up well in pass protection. In 2025, he gave up just two sacks and 33 quarterback pressures in 14 starts, though his run blocking was not as strong.
For the Bears, that kind of resume would be a major lift. Decker has been a full-time starter for years, and he’s spent his entire career in the NFC North, so the division is nothing new to him.
The financial side also works in Chicago’s favor. Because of his age and recent injury concerns, Decker should not command a huge price tag. The Bears still have around $8 million in cap space, and Decker would likely come in below that number.
He is not an elite tackle at this stage, and the injury history is real. But he would walk in and immediately become the starter at the most important spot on the offensive line, giving Caleb Williams much-needed protection on the blind side.
The Bears do not need to roll the dice here. They need to solve left tackle before camp and stop treating it like an open question.
In Other News...
Lions Offseason Winners Are Emerging And Two Concerns Stand Out
With training camp still about a month away and rookies set to report soon, the Lions have already gotten a useful first look at where some of their offseason work is paying off. OTAs and minicamp have helped boost the stock of Rock Ya-Sin, Aidan Hutchinson and Jahmyr Gibbs, three players whose different roles all matter as Detroit keeps sorting through its depth and role questions heading into the season.
The early sessions have also produced a couple of reminders that not every spring storyline is moving in the same direction. Giovanni Manu and Sione Vaki have had their share of growing pains, which is part of the evaluation process this time of year, especially for younger players trying to carve out a place on a roster with real expectations. For the Lions, the next few weeks are less about final answers than about seeing which of these offseason trends hold once the pads come on. [Read more 🡒]
This Lions Rookie Is Crashing A Camp Battle Nobody Saw Coming
Training camp always finds a way to surface one lineman nobody had circled in May, and this summer the battle is on the interior. Detroits tackle spots look far more settled, but the guard competition has opened the door for an undrafted rookie from Illinois who arrives with a sturdy track record and the kind of profile that can turn heads once the pads come on. He has the frame and background to stay in the conversation, and the Lions have plenty of reason to keep an eye on every rep.
Melvin Priestly has done plenty to earn that attention. He never missed a college game, showed well in pass protection and overall performance last season, and is expected to push for a role in a group where several players are still fighting for answers. For a Detroit offense that values line depth as much as lineup certainty, the question is not whether Priestly belongs in camp, but how far he can go once the competition gets serious. [Read more 🡒]
Brad Holmes Could Have Another First-Time Lions All-Pro Brewing
Brad Holmes has spent the last few years building a roster that keeps pushing more Lions into the All-Pro conversation, and the trend line has only gotten more crowded. Since 2021, Detroit has added and developed players who have drawn All-Pro votes, with the pool expanding each season as the front office keeps finding impact talent at premium spots and on special teams.
Looking ahead to 2026, the most obvious name is Jahmyr Gibbs, whose dynamic running and receiving already make him one of the most dangerous players on the roster and could put him in a bigger workload if the offense leans on him even more. Sione Vaki also fits the profile as a special teams standout, while other familiar names like Jared Goff, Alim McNeill, Brian Branch and Jake Bates give Detroit plenty of possibilities if health and performance line up the right way. [Read more 🡒]