Is Ronnie Stanley an option for Bears?

Denny Medley - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - 16 hours ago

We haven't even hit the first wave of free agency, and the Chicago Bears have already lost their top free-agent target. In case you missed it, the Kansas City Chiefs have placed the franchise tag on Guard Trey Smith, leaving plenty of questions about what will come in free agency. Smith was not only the top offensive lineman entering free agency but also one of the top free agents on the market.

Given the status of the Chicago Bears offensive line, it made sense that Chicago would not only target Smith, but he was seen as the main target for the Bears throughout free agency. With his name out, it's time to look at the other options surrounding the Bears and what they can do.

The upcoming NFL draft is a great way to add offensive line depth to this roster, but as is the case with any rookie, there will be plenty of ups and downs during their first season. Knowing what they have invested in Caleb Williams, can the Bears afford to deal with the ups and downs that come with a young player?

Everyone will have an answer in the near future, but with plenty of veterans remaining on the open market, Ronnie Stanley becomes one of the Bears' top targets this offseason. Similar to Smith, Stanley is in line to receive a contract extension, and although no deal is imminent right now, there is hope among the Baltimore front office that a deal will get done.

Until that becomes a reality, you have to look at the possibility of him hitting free agency, as he would be a massive upgrade for the Bears' offensive line. Unlike Smith, who was a guard, Stanley is a tackle and would be a great addition to mentor a guy like Braxton Jones, who is recovering from an ankle injury. Stanley is also older than Smith and will be entering his age 31 season, which could also play into the hands of the Bears.

Ideally, the Bears would love to solve some of their offensive line woes by adding a player to a long-term deal, but that could happen through the draft, which not only helps with the cap but also helps when you look at the overall age of those players. Stanley is one of those guys who would make 18-20 million per season, but that shouldn't scare the Bears away.

While putting 20 million into an aging offensive lineman comes with some risk, there is the notion that Stanley will want no more than three seasons, with a high likelihood that he will only get two. That would make the financials well worth the risk, as it would solve some of the Bears' offensive line woes, even if it is just a short-term fix.

Short-term fix or not, Stanley is a veteran offensive lineman who has anchored a great Baltimore line for years, and should he reach free agency, the Bears need to make the call. He is the definition of a winner and has been part of a winning culture since the day he arrived in Baltimore. That isn't something you can teach, as that winning mindset would go over well in what is otherwise an extremely young locker room.

As is the case with every aging player, there is the concern that you will start to decline production-wise, and even if there are signs of that in Stanley, it hasn't reached the nervous point. Stanley still ranked in the top 20 among offensive tackles last season and checked in at No. 16.

Keep in mind that Jones was off to a great start before his injury and ranked just behind Stanley at No. 17 despite missing time with an injury.

That could give the Bears two of the top-20 NFL tackles in the game, and that alone would make this offensive line much better. Even if Stanley does make the most sense when it comes to adding a tackle, you could see the Bears look at 35-year-old Tyron Smith as another fallback plan, as he not only would come cheaper but is also the definition of a short-term fix.