Bears opt out of the hot name and instead plan to give a recent draft pick a second chance to prove himself to the coaching staff
The Chicago Bears have reached a new deal with former 2022 fifth-round pick Braxton Jones.
After signing an interior defensive linemen, a free safety, and a starting linebacker on the open market, securing a stopgap left tackle seemed like the next plan of attack for the Chicago Bears in free agency and the team decided on their answer.
Instead of chasing the hot name in Taylor Decker, who was recently released by the Detroit Lions and has familiarity with head coach Ben Johnson, the Bears are instead giving 2022 fifth-round pick Braxton Jones a second chance to prove himself.
Chicago and Jones agreed to a one-year deal worth $5 million with an extra $5 million in incentives, which becomes notable considering Jones as an inside shot to win the starting left tackle job.
Bears are running it back with the same candidates for the left tackle position
Chicago’s left tackle job was an open competition that lasted right up to the start of the 2025 regular season between Jones, Theo Benedet, Ozzy Trapilo, and Kiran Amegadjie. Jones, the team’s three-year starter from 2022-2024, spent the majority of the offseason rehabbing from a fractured fibula but still managed to return in time to win the starting gig for Week 1.
By Week 4, the coaching staff pulled Jones from the lineup in favor of Benedet. In Week 12, an injury to Benedet opened the door for Trapilo to take over as the starting left tackle, a role he held until the Wild Card game during which he suffered a serious patellar tendon injury. Instead of activating Jones or playing Benedet again, the Bears opted to play All Pro left guard Joe Thuney at left tackle in the NFC Divisional Round loss. Needless to say, the position had a lot of turnover.
Why could things be different in 2026? For starters, the staff never really got to see Jones at full health. During those four games of action, Jones was inconsistent and you could tell he wasn’t 100% and then he suffered a knee injury that put him on the self and out of practice for the majority of the regular season. It’s a bold risk but I appreciate that the staff is willing to give him a chance to prove himself now that he’s fully healthy.
If Jones can win the job and return to his former form, this could be a win-win for all parties. The Bears get a starting left tackle with experience until Trapilo comes back and Jones gets a big opportunity to boost his stock for next year’s cycle.
The best part is the price at $5 million. You’re not finding that anywhere else for a starting-caliber left tackle and if Jones hits that incentives, that means he’s earned it with his play and it’d still be a steal. At worst, Benedet wins the job and Jones just becomes a one-year depth player.
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