Heading into the 2025 draft, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles, a former offensive lineman himself, has made it clear that fortifying the offensive line is a top priority.
In a January 2025 press conference, Poles emphasized the importance of building through the trenches, stating: “If you can’t win at the line of scrimmage, you can’t win in the NFL. It’s that simple.” With multiple high-value draft picks at their disposal (the Bears have the No. 10 overall selection along with two high second-round picks), it’s a safe bet Chicago will take one or more O-linemen with them.
Now that the Bears’ presumed top target in free agency, OL Trey Smith, has been franchise tagged by the Kansas City Chiefs, the Bears may have to turn to “short-term options,” according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
Biggs named former Detroit Lions veteran guard Kevin Zeitler as a potentially intriguing and practical addition, particularly if Chicago could also sign free agent center Drew Dalman.
Bears Should Sign Veteran OL Kevin Zeitler This Offseason
According to Biggs, Zeitler has been interested in playing for the Bears before, but has never gotten an opportunity.
“Kevin Zeitler played last season for the Lions. The Waukesha, Wis., native told me after the Thanksgiving Day game at Ford Field that he has tried to get interest from the Bears in the past,” Biggs wrote, adding:
“He turns 35 on March 8, so you’re talking about another short-term fix, but maybe that’s a possibility if the Bears are thinking about a center (Dalman) in free agency and a guard in the first or second round of the draft. That would give them three new starters for the interior.”
Zeitler, who will be entering his 14th NFL season, has consistently provided reliable pass protection and above-average run blocking throughout his career. In 2024, Zeitler posted a PFF pass-blocking grade of 71.8 and a run-blocking grade of 87.2, demonstrating a well-rounded skill set. For a Bears team that ranked 22nd in pass-blocking efficiency in 2024, adding a durable, technically sound veteran like Zeitler could provide much-needed stability at right guard.
And Zeitler is nothing if not durable. He has started at least 15 games in each of the last 10 seasons. That’s the type of reliability Chicago needs.
Zeitler’s Connection to Ben Johnson Is Also Important to Consider
Beyond his performance metrics, Zeitler’s experience in both gap and zone blocking schemes would allow him to seamlessly fit into new Bears coach Ben Johnson’s system. Zeitler spent the entire 2024 season playing under Johnson in Detroit. That familiarity would allow him to take a leadership role on Chicago’s O-line.
According to PFF, Zeitler allowed just 3 sacks and 19 total pressures in 2023, numbers that would represent a major upgrade over Chicago’s 2024 guard play, which struggled against interior pressure, particularly on third downs. In 2024, in 577 pass block snaps played, he surrendered 5.0 sacks, 4 QB hits and 9 hurries.
With the Bears likely to lean heavily on their run game to support Williams, Zeitler’s consistency as a run blocker — especially on inside zone concepts — could further enhance the effectiveness of D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson.
His ability to handle power rushers while also showing enough mobility to reach linebackers on combo blocks makes him a valuable plug-and-play option.
With the Bears projected to have over $80 in cap space, they could afford to pay for Zeitler’s services and much more. Signing Zeitler would be a smart, low-risk move to shore up a glaring weakness and bring invaluable experience to a line currently in need of leaders.
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