Bears show nothing but love for Braxton Jones by drafting Darnell Wright
The Chicago Bears had high hopes for Braxton Jones, even if they drafted him in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Sure enough, Jones went on to win the starting left tackle job and he started all 17 games and played 100% of offensive snaps. His play was up-and-down, as expected, but he […]
The Chicago Bears had high hopes for Braxton Jones, even if they drafted him in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Sure enough, Jones went on to win the starting left tackle job and he started all 17 games and played 100% of offensive snaps. His play was up-and-down, as expected, but he showed enough promise and plenty of flashes to where the Bears ultimately felt confident about him starting at left tackle again in 2023.
But, sure enough, many overlooked Jones throughout the 2023 offseason and had the Bears taking a left tackle prospect in many mock drafts. Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus never flat-out said that Jones was 100% the guy moving forward, but they never said he wasn't, either. Overall, the vibe was they felt comfortable with Jones at LT in 2023.
Braxton Jones benefits most from the Bears' selection of Wright
It shows that he is indeed the guy moving forward at left tackle. When considering how important that position, is, this is a big deal.
Coaches and teams don't just hand out starting jobs at left tackle. The position obviously protects a quarterback's blindside and often takes on the opposition's best pass rusher. They're also left on islands, most of the time, so a team has to have a lot of faith in a player to get the job done.
This is great news for Bears fans. The team is on the precipice of having two young, bookend tackles to anchor the offensive line. That will obviously help the running game continue to grow, but most importantly, Justin Fields will be provided more pass protection. And that, more than anything, is what the Bears need to make sure happens.
