With Ozzy Trapilo expected to miss much of the 2025 season, the Bears are pivoting to their former starter. Braxton Jones is staying in Chicago, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes.
The parties are in agreement on a one-year deal worth up to $10MM. Despite Jones losing his LT job in a contract year, he will give it another go as a Bear.
Involved in a three-man competition with Trapilo and Theo Benedet in training camp last year, Jones held off the younger blockers to keep his job. But he did not make it through the season in the role. The former fifth-round Bears find lost his job to Benedet in early October, and trade rumors followed Jones in the ensuing weeks. An IR placement, due to a knee injury, ended any trade talk.
Chicago used an IR activation on Jones but did not have the four-year vet active for its divisional-round game, further pointing to a 2026 separation. The Bears kicked Joe Thuney to LT, following the Chiefs’ lead, and used Jordan McFadden at guard against the Rams following Trapilo’s wild-card setback. But Jones will have another chance with Ben Johnson‘s coaching staff soon.
From 2022-24, Jones worked as Chicago’s full-time left tackle. The Southern Utah product started 40 games during those three seasons, holding the job throughout Matt Eberflus‘ time at the helm. Pro Football Focus graded the Division I-FCS product as a top-25 tackle in both 2022 and ’24, assigning him a top-35 placement in 2023. As the Bears changed systems in 2025, PFF viewed Jones — who did not qualify as a regular due to limited playing time — outside the top 70.
A 2025 second-round pick, Trapilo suffered a patellar tendon tear and is expected to be out for most of the season. Benedet is still under contract. The Bears may be prepared to hold a two-man competition for the Week 1 gig, though Benedet logged more starts (eight) than Jones under Johnson last season. The Bears have been dealt multiple unexpected blows in 2026, with Drew Dalman‘s retirement at 27 following the Trapilo news. Chicago traded for Garrett Bradbury to replace Dalman.
Solid insurance move.
For that money I would have ponied up a bit more and shot for Taylor Decker.
I think the “10 mill” includes a whole lot of incentives that he may or may not reach. And they may have talked to Decker and it was gonna cost a lot more..?
Makes sense given the Trapillo situation.
Honestly don’t hate it. They can still go LT in the draft if one falls to them at the right time but they won’t need to reach for one either.
Don’t like this move other than for depth, couldn’t they have signed a cheaper vet than this guy?
There’s 2 names that still are on the board that intrigue me. One is Epenessa from Buffalo and Decker at LT. I just wonder what it would cost to get those 2 guys. I have zero faith in Amegedjie or whatever his name is and limited belief in Benedet who is a walking penalty at LT. Re sign McFadden , Smythe, and say goodbye to Byard, Brisker and Wright. Trade Swift and Kmet and either draft another TE or sign one and draft a RB and see if you can get Wheeler back to go with Hankins as a FB type. I’d be happy if he can pull that off.
Mike, Epenessa only has 24 sacks at age 27. I think you guys can do better in getting a pass rusher post June 1st deadline. Decker I agree, but signing Jones all but removes them from the running for his services. Byard is good as gone and so is Brisker and Wright. I don’t see them trading Kmet or Swift since they want to establish “culture type” guys. I do think Kmet is overpaid and his cap would be better allocated towards Safety or DL. Having 3 picks in the first two rounds, I anticipate Poles to move up in the 2nd round into the mid 30’s and take a guy that fits Ben’s scheme. I would look at Zion Young from Missouri, 6’6 262 and tank has him 41st to Bengals. 1st round I’d probably target the kid from Toledo McNeill-Warren.
I don’t want them to trade up. I want them to trade #1 down to a high second and more picks. There are a bunch of players the Bears can use in round 2 and somebody will fall out of round 1 that they can really use. When it comes to trading draft picks my philosophy is always trade down, Never up.They need too many things right now to be trading up. As always with the other 2 guys, It all depends on price. I think it’s a good sign that they haven’t been picked up yet which means the price might be coming down.
I do think they have a few holes they could address if they trade from 25, but the goal is to add cheap young good talent while Caleb’s rookie year. Wright’s extension talks will come up soon. I wonder what will his market value be. They do also need a young interior lineman. Both guards are a long in the tooth.
Bears still have 3 more years of cheap Caleb. This isn’t the year to be wasting picks. This is a year to be drafting the positions of need for depth which all are readily available in rounds 2-5. DT, LB, S, RB, B/U TE. Losing those comp picks was a total sham by the NFL. I don’t think the Bears have ever gotten a comp pick. Ever. At least I don’t remember 1. While everybody else in the division gets them like Tic Tacs.
Before the start of Year 4 you need to make a decision if you will exercise his 5th year option. So basically this time next year, either they extend him or exercise his 5th year option.
You really think that option isn’t picked up? It’ll be pricey but not as pricey as it will be year 6 and will be manageable.
I think they’ll more likely to extend him before that option needs to be exercised, especially if he has another season of growth like he did last year.
Oh, they have holes. With that 27th ranked run ‘defense’, so far all Poles has done is add rotational depth pieces. Not one is a standout difference maker. They needed to add a proven bada$$ as well as draft heavily in that line in order to actually improve it. Maybe they’ll stumble onto a draftee who makes an immediate impact, but that seems like a poor plan to address the biggest holes on the team.