The ongoing battle at left tackle continues for the Chicago Bears as all eyes focus on Training Camp. Braxton Jones may not know which squad he's working with from day to day, but his comments at the podium show that he's not going to let some uncertainty stop him. Jones has shown a team mentality that's become a must for a modern NFL player.
It can be extremely difficult for a lineman to change groups. It may seem like it's not a big deal from the outside, but when you're attempting consistent reps, it's extremely important to hear the same voice's cadence with the same guys next to you. Changing that up so frequently can easily cause a player to not be at their best. But Jones is all about consistency, even in the face of changes.
Jones is turning Bears uncertainty into a valuable test
"One day I could go out and be running with the ones, one day I could be going with the twos. It doesn't matter. At the end of the day, we're all competing, trying to be as consistent as possible. And that's our mission as a group, and we're all cheering each other on, regardless if I'm with the threes or twos. And if they're communicating, that's what we're doing."Braxton Jones
It's refreshing to hear Jones being so transparent with the difficulties of his situation. It's not so seamless to move around the way he is. But that's what Training Camp is for. They need to iron out these details now, because it may not seem like it, but preseason football is just around the corner.
The idea that Jones is using these rapid changes is a veteran move. Lineman have to adjust a ton on the line, and the average football fan never sees it. They're never on the box score. But they're expected to be these unrelenting walls of force. Placing the players in a position of stress surely shows the coaches how these players handle the rapid changes they'll need to make on the fly during the season.
Jones’ ability to handle these constant changes may prove just as important as any individual rep in the battle at left tackle. If he continues meeting that uncertainty with consistency, he will give the Bears every reason to trust him with the starting job.
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