3 moves the Bears need to make so Andy Dalton succeeds in 2021

1. Target an offensive lineman with the No. 20 overall pick

When Dalton is upright, he can succeed in any number of NFL offenses. He is at his best when he can lean on the running game to open up better passing windows. Though his arm strength is not top-tier, keep in mind that he has already thrived playing ball in a harsh northern climate in Cincinnati for years. What is an issue though is the protection he needs to have in front of him.

When Cincinnati had a decent offense line, Dalton was one of the best quarterbacks in the AFC. When that position group deteriorated, so did Dalton’s reputation as a passer. What the Bears need to do at No. 20 is draft an offensive lineman, preferably an offensive tackle. Fortunately for them, there are several intriguing prospects who will be coming off the board around that time.

There are three, maybe four, players the Bears should look at with the No. 20 overall pick: USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker, Oklahoma State’s Teven Jenkins, Michigan’s Jalen Mayfield and hometown hero Rashawn Slater out of Northwestern should he fall. Vera-Tucker and Jenkins are the two most likely offensive linemen to become Bears at No. 20. Mayfield is a reach and Slater is a pipe dream.

Overall, the Bears could look to double-down with offensive linemen at No. 20 and No. 59. Using the second-round pick on an offensive lineman could net the Bears guys along the lines of Creed Humphrey out of Oklahoma or Wyatt Davis out of Ohio State. Simply put, if the Bears do not draft an offensive lineman with either of their two top-60 picks, then they have failed Dalton for 2021.