The Chicago Bears may now have a surprise starter at left tackle

When first-year general manager Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears entered into the 2022 NFL Draft, they had plenty of needs to address.

When it came to the offensive line, they needed plenty. But, Poles didn’t start to draft up front until Round 5 when he took Braxton Jones out of Southern Utah.

At that point, the starters along the line included Lucas Patrick, Cody Whitehair, and likely Teven Jenkins at either tackle or guard, depending on where he fit best according to the new regime.

Fast forward to the present time and Jenkins very well may be off this roster soon. Speaking of that new regime, they don’t appear to like Jenkins very much. But, when it comes to that fifth-round rookie, the team is looking higher and higher on Jones.

Rookie Braxton Jones is emerging as the Chicago Bears’ starting left tackle as training camp rolls on.

Back in May, most would not have guessed that Jones would be in this position so quickly. He definitely looked the part coming out of a smaller school, but much of the analysis around him had the word “development” written all over it — and as a fifth rounder, that was perfectly fine.

Now that training camp is in full swing, though, Jones appears on a fast track to secure the starting left tackle job with veteran Riley Reiff locking in at the right tackle position. Tuesday, Jones was given every snap with the starters.

Then, on Wednesday, Jones once again got every snap with the first team offensive line.

This makes a lot of sense for the Bears, who are a young, rebuilding team with a second-year franchise quarterback in Justin Fields. They know they likely won’t be too competitive this season, therefore it seems only right to establish a young cornerstone at left tackle if the coaching staff thinks they have that in Jones.

A young, long-term starter at the second-most important position on the offense behind quarterback is exactly what Fields needs to move forward in his development and ultimate breakout.

If Poles proves to have hit on Jones, and he does become the long-term solution at left tackle, then this offseason was far from a waste. Many can say that Poles didn’t surround Fields with the necessary weapons, and that’s a fine complaint.

However, if Poles secured Fields his left tackle for the next several years, then so be it. Next offseason, the Bears should be far more aggressive in trying to land weapons for Fields.

At the moment, it’s all about keeping him upright, and they might just have something special in a fifth-round rookie.