The Chicago Bears are getting set to begin organized team activities with three practices scheduled for this week (starting on Wednesday) with three more practices scheduled for next week ahead of mandatory minicamp.

We already went through and broke down some of the top storylines heading into OTAs on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Now, let’s take a closer look at some of those storylines, starting with another wide-open competition at left tackle.

Following the patellar tendon injury to 2025 rookie Ozzy Trapilo, the Bears are back in an uncertain position when it comes to the starting left tackle job. While starting OL roles won’t be decided in OTAs without full pads, we will at least get an idea of what the pecking order will be at the position when practice starts tomorrow.

Braxton Jones expected to have a slight lead in the Chicago Bears LT battle to start OTAs

Speaking with reporters last week, offensive line coach Dan Roushar noted the staff will put value in the veteran, Braxton Jones, who re-signed with the Bears on a one-year deal after starting 44 games in his first four seasons. Bears insider Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune agreed with that and shared his expectation for totem pole ranking after Jones.

“I think it’s going to start with Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet,” Biggs said Tuesday on 104.3 The Score. “Two guys that played the position for them a year ago. I think those guys get the first look, certainly before Jedrick Wills.”

Jones, Biggs added, seems like the guy to beat out in this competition. He has the most starting experience with this team and looks like a brand new man after battling through the lingering physical and mental issues last season caused from the fractured fibula he suffered late in the 2024 season.

If Jones is indeed back to full health and in the right mindset, he should be viewed as the front-runner going into OTAs. Benedet, who started eight games last season at both left and right tackle, showed promising stuff with his athleticism in the run game.

As for Jedick Wills Jr., the former first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns, the staff will first have to get to learn the player and see what kind of condition he’s in after taking a year away from football to fully recover from injuries of his own.

Braxton Jones has been grinding to hold down the left tackle spot for Chicago! 💪🐻 #Bears pic.twitter.com/MkA2qCClvc

— The Set with Terron Armstead (@thesetshow_) April 15, 2026

Don’t expect any real progress to be made in deciding this battle during OTAs

While the battle officially kicks off at OTAs, we learned last offseason that deciding a starting left tackle is going to be a drawn out process. Something that’s not expected to change this time around.

“To me, that doesn’t get real until the helmets are on and the pads are on in training camp and they can really get a look at them,” Biggs explained. “Just talking briefly with Dan Roushar about it, I said ‘you kind of know everyone else, maybe everything else can lead you to a situation where you’d be able to make a decision sooner rather than later.’ Roushar said ‘no, it’s just the kind of thing you don’t put a timeline on.’ So, we’ll see how it plays out. They’ll know when they know.”

Last offseason, the starting job wasn’t made official until days before the Week 1 opener against the Minnesota Vikings. The staff didn’t want to rush any decision, even if it’s ideal to have the starting five meshing together as soon as possible.

“That’s why everything’s going to matter,” head coach Ben Johnson said last offseason. “Every play matters, it all is going to matter as we go through this thing. I can’t tell you I’ve been through a three-man race before, so each play is going to be evaluated and they’ve got to take full advantage of each opportunity that they get.”

Once again, it’s going to be another three-man race between Jones, Benedet, and Wills. Former third-round pick Kiran Amegadjie is a deep long-shot to maybe consider, although he should be more focused on staying healthy and maybe earning a roster spot first.

“They’re all pushing each other,” Roushar said. “They all make each other better, and it’s a really good situation from that aspect.”