It’s no secret that the Chicago Bears will certainly be looking for help on offense next offseason. They desperately need an overhaul of the entire group. The only true fixture they have right now is Darnell Wright. The right guard doesn’t have a starter. Left guard Teven Jenkins and center back Coleman Shelton will both be free agents. Left tackle Braxton Jones was okay, but nothing special. It would be shocking if the Bears didn’t invest a lot of money and at least their first-round pick in this position group.

Arguably the most popular name among fans heading into the draft is Will Campbell. LSU has long been a factory for good NFL offensive linemen, and the left tackle appears to be the latest to join those ranks. There are predictions that he will end up in the Bears’ top 10 quite often. Based on what Brad Biggs has heard from people around the league, that would be a huge mistake.

LSU’s Will Campbell has generated a lot of buzz, but the NFL people I’ve spoken to don’t think he’s a top pick that will solidify a team’s position for more than five years. He has short arms and there are concerns about his game. In other words, some believe he was completely overrated.

The Chicago Bears can’t afford to reach for need.

Assuming they make it back into the top 10, which seems far from certain at this point, they need to do the smart thing and get the absolute best player on their board. If it’s an offensive lineman, that’s great. However, early results suggest that there aren’t many star-caliber candidates in this class. There are a lot of good players, but few, if any, are worth going that high. The defensive line’s equipment is now excellent both inside and out. Would the Chicago Bears give up on a potential stud edge rusher just to grab an offensive lineman who might not be nearly as capable? For this reason, it is still too early to judge how the draft board will behave. The Senior Bowl and Scouting Combine are still to come. That’s when the biggest changes take place. We will know at the end of February whether there is a stud blocker in this group.