Former Lions Pro Bowler Named Top Fit for Division Rival Bears

The Chicago Bears have a big question mark on the left side of their offensive line.

The team played three players at left tackle last season - Theo Benedt, Ozzy Trapilo, and Braxton Jones - and it signed Jedrick Wills Jr. in the offseason, but the Bears are still no closer to knowing who their start LT will be next season.

And with the 2026 NFL draft in the rearview, the team doesn't have a big-bodied rookie to step into that role either, which is why Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports thinks Chicago should look at a current free agent it happens to know very well: former Detroit Lions left tackle Taylor Decker.

"It’ll be interesting to see if [Decker] sticks within the NFC North and joins his old friend Ben Johnson in Chicago," Sullivan wrote. "Of course, Johnson was with the Lions for five seasons up until he was hired as the Bears head coach last offseason.

"Given that prior relationship, Decker could be an insurance option at left tackle for Johnson’s Bears, with the status of Ozzy Trapilo still uncertain after he injured his patellar tendon in Chicago’s wild card win over the Packers. The Bears did sign Jedrick Wills Jr. earlier this offseason, but that shouldn’t preclude them from possibly adding Decker to compete for the job."

Benedet, Trapilo, and Jones combined to allow 63 pressures, 48 hurries, and seven sacks across 1,230 offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, and Wills didn't play last season while he recovered from various knee injuries.

Given the uncertainty at the left tackle position, adding an experienced player like Decker, who has a Pro Bowl and 140 NFL starts under his belt, might be the way to go.

Last season, Decker allowed just two sacks, 33 pressures, and 28 hurries in 14 starts.

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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 11:20 AM.