The Chicago Bears need to overhaul the offensive line this offseason, where there are needs across the board from tackle to the interior.
While Chicago is expected to be active in pursing offensive linemen in free agency, there are some intriguing draft prospects that could be in play for Bears general manager Ryan Poles.
One of those is North Dakota State’s Cody Mauch, who brings with him a nastiness that Chicago’s offensive line is lacking. Mauch, whose best friend is a Bears fan, would love to play for Chicago and help shore up pass protection for Fields, who was sacked a league-high 55 times in 2022.
“It would be awesome to play for a team like that, block for a guy like Justin Fields,” Mauch said at the NFL combine Saturday, via Greg Braggs Jr. “You want to block for guys like that.”
Talked with North Dakota State OT, Cody Mauch, about a few things:
• Becoming a vocal leader at NDSU
• The love he's getting from fans
• Playing in Chicago and blocking for Justin Fields pic.twitter.com/dz8ZxTICed— Greg Braggs Jr. (@GBraggsJr23) March 4, 2023
Mauch, who played tackle at North Dakota State, projects to play guard at the NFL level.
When looking at the needs across the offensive line, guard is the furthest down the list. But it’s still a need considering Teven Jenkins’ struggles to stay healthy and Cody Whitehair’s $14.1 million cap hit in 2023, where he could be a cap casualty.
Mauch, who projects to be a Day 2 pick, would be a nice addition to Chicago’s offensive line group.
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