The Chicago Bears have a lot of work to do in the coming offseason, and finding the right head coach is simply the first task on a long and crucial to-do list.

Perhaps just as pressing as finding the right personality and skill set to shepherd rookie Caleb Williams into what could potentially be an extended period of NFL stardom is assembling the appropriate contingent of offensive linemen to protect the young quarterback from the vicious pass rushers employed by opposing defenses.

To that end, Jacob Infante of Windy City Gridiron predicted that the Bears will aggressively pursue Kansas City Chiefs offensive guard Trey Smith in free agency next March and ultimately ink him to a four-year, $74.2 million contract that will make him among the highest-paid players at the position.

“Smith has made himself some money this year, and the Chiefs might not have the long-term assets to be able to afford him with significant cap space already being used across their offensive line,” Infante wrote on Dec. 6.

“In this hypothetical, he reunites with Ryan Poles, who was part of the Kansas City [front office] that drafted him.”

Pro Football Focus ranks Smith the 12th best offensive guard in the NFL out of 75 players who have seen enough snaps at the position to qualify through the first 14 weeks of the season.

Smith, 25 years old, has yet to earn his first trip to a Pro Bowl, though that could be coming after this year.

He has started all 63 regular season games of his career and missed just one contest in four campaigns, rendering him as durable as he has been effective.

The Chiefs have won two Super Bowls with Smith as a starter on the offensive line and own the best record in the NFL this season at 12-1.