5 bold Chicago Bears predictions for remainder of the offseason

4. Chicago Bears rookie Braxton Jones earns starting position

The competition in the trenches is going to be fun to watch this summer, especially when training camp rolls around. It is going to be intense. With only three secured starting positions, the Bears have two spots virtually up for grabs. It will be Teven Jenkins at one of the tackle positions, Lucas Patrick at center and Cody Whitehair at one of the guards.

Then, the question becomes, who will earn those final two spots? The Bears spent their very first pick on Day 3 of the draft on Southern Utah’s Braxton Jones, a big, long tackle.

Jones stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 310 pounds. He has a fantastic first punch and a strong outside hand. He actually looks like more of a natural left tackle than Jenkins does, which could slide Jenkins over to the right side.

The competition for Jones is second-year pro and fellow fifth-round pick Larry Borom, newly-signed veteran Julie’n Davenport, former seventh-round pick Lachavious Simmons, along with rookie Zachary Thomas who may end up moving inside to guard.

None of those names jump out as clear-cut starters, so Jones could wind up snatching that spot on his own this summer.