The Bears have finally announced that Braxton Jones will make the start at left tackle in Week 1. From the start of training camp, this has been a developing topic that's garnered many questions and much speculation. Despite being with the Bears since 2022 when Chicago drafted him in the fifth round, much of Jones' camp was dominated by competition with Theo Benedet, Kiran Amegadjie and Jedrick Wills Jr,Amegadjie and Wills were both cut when the roster needed to be trimmed to 53.
Just because Jones is getting the start doesn't mean the job is his for the duration of the season. Coach Johnson has already indicated that he's happy to bring the competition past Week 1 if that's what it requires, and that seems to be the case here.
Ozzy Trapilo replaced Jones on the line when Jones went down with a knee injury, and his performance was good enough that Trapilo held down the job until he tore his patellar tendon in the Wild Card game against the Packers. Now, with Trapilo surprising everyone with his incredible recovery, he could be well on his way to reclaiming the starting job.
Braxton Jones has earned the first opportunity but not a guarantee
Jones is back on the Bears on a one year deal, but again had to overcome another knee injury in training camp that saw him miss over a week of practice. That time is incredibly valuable to a player trying to win a preseason position battle. His ability to stay healthy may become an issue as the season plays out.
"They earn that during the course of the week. I don't think it's any different for the offensive line. And so just because I'm saying that here on a Tuesday doesn't mean that it's how it always shakes out. He's got to earn that, Braxton does, as do all the players that are going to be active on game day. They got to earn it. They got to show us that they deserve to be out there. That's how we kind of go about it in this building, and I think they understand that."Ben Johnson
Jones has earned his place among the Bears line. He wouldn't be there now if that weren't the case. But Johnson is committed to playing the best possible line week-in and week-out, and if that means shaking the line up, that's exactly what they'll do.
This marks Jones' fifth consecutive Week 1 start in his career. It's not too shabby for a player that's come out of the fifth round, and it's an accomplishment that thousands of players wish they could boast about too.
Yet Jones needs to play better than he ever has if he wishes to remain on the starting line. With the Bears coming into the 2026 season with the heavy weight of expectations on their shoulders, every player on the field must be at their best if they're to maintain the top spot in the NFC North. For now, Jones gets the start with Johnson's blessing. Johnson has given Jones the first opportunity, but only Jones can ensure it lasts beyond Week 1.
| More Bears on DaWindyCity |
Add us as a preferred source on Google