Three different players made at least four starts and played at least 200 snaps at left tackle for the Bears last year.
Braxton Jones opened the year as the starter, but was benched in Week 4 after a rough start and later landed on injured reserve. Second-year UDFA Theo Benedet took over on the blind side for seven games before being supplanted by 2025 second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo. He started the next six games, sat in Week 18 due to injury (with Benedet replacing him), and suffered a season-ending torn patellar tendon in the wild card round. The Bears then called on Joe Thuney to play left tackle in their divisional round loss to the Rams.
Chicago drafted Trapilo last year in the hopes he could become their long-term left tackle. But he is expected to be sidelined for most, if not all, of 2026. So, the Bears retained Jones on a one-year, $5MM, setting him as their presumptive starter for the upcoming season. The 27-year-old took all of the team’s first-team reps in spring practices, per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, though free agent signing Jedrick Wills and Kiran Amegadjie will still push for the starting job.
Jones attributed last year’s struggles in part to his 2024 ankle injury and acknowledged the mental difficulties of coming back from major surgery.
“I just don’t think I was at my best with my injury, and mentally it can be a lot,” Jones said. “But I’m grateful for that, to be able to look back and see that and realize that I was right there, I just needed to trust what I was in.”
Jones was not able to cash in on a contract year in 2025, but his one-year pact with the Bears sets him up for another important season. Staying healthy and holding onto the Bear’s starting left tackle gig will be his first task, and returning to his previous high level of play will give him a chance at a lucrative contract in free agency. He could even parlay a strong year into an extended stay in Chicago if he proves to be their best long-term option for protecting Caleb Williams‘ blind side.
I really hope he plays well this year. Then they could resign him
The real improvement needs to come from the defense.
The need is glaringly obvious for an Edge rusher, but Johnson would rather gamble picks on Offensive players instead via the draft.