The Chicago Bears were one of the biggest surprises in the NFL during the 2025 campaign as Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson looked like a match made in heaven, helping the Monsters of the Midway to an 11-6 record and an NFC North title.
While the vibes in the Windy City are pretty immaculate when it comes to the performance this group put together in Johnson's first year at the helm, this is not the time for Ryan Poles and the front office to pat themselves on the back and take a breather. If anything, the pressure is now on Poles and the other decision-makers in Chicago to take this team to the next level and move closer to competing for a Super Bowl.
One area of the roster that must be addressed in the coming weeks and months to help that happen is the offensive line. The Bears did a great job of strengthening this unit last offseason, adding players like Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, Jonah Jackson, and rookie Ozzy Traplio to the trenches. Unfortunately, though, Trapilo's status for 2026 is in doubt as he continues to work his way back from the ruptured patellar tendon he suffered during Chicago's wild-card round win against the Green Bay Packers.
Fortunately for the Bears, a $22 million spike in the salary cap for the 2026 season may help them keep the ship afloat until Trapilo can return to form.
Bears Should Put Extra Cap Space to Use to Retain Braxton Jones
Braxton Jones is a name guaranteed to elicit a reaction, positive or negative, from just about every fan in Chicago. There are plenty of reasons for fans to be more than fine with moving on from the lineman after he fell out of favor in the Windy City this past season.
Beggars can't be choosers, though, and the Bears' cap situation isn't great. As of this writing, they are just north of $6 million over the cap. This is why the front office shouldn't dismiss the possibility of bringing him back on a one-year, team-friendly contract to ensure there is some sense of stability, and depth, in front of Williams this season.
The last thing Chicago's QB, or the coaching staff, needs is a repeat of their signal caller's rookie season, where opposing defenses sacked him 68 times, setting a new, unwanted, franchise record in the Windy City.
Given the uncertainty surround Trapilo and when he will be ready to rejoin the team, however long from now that may be, retaining Jones offers the Bears a veteran who is familiar with the system and can be had for a relatively nominal amount. Jones is projected to have a market value of roughly $4.8 million, per Spotrac, and that is an amount that Poles should be comfortable stomaching.
Is it an ideal answer to the issues facing Chicago's offensive line? No, it is not. However, given the other options available in the Bears' price range, they could do a whole lot worse than attempting to run it back with Jones for one more season.