Photo by CSOM Sports
Chicago Bears left tackle Braxton Jones is in the midst of an extensive rehab program after suffering a fractured ankle at the end of the 2024 season. He's finally on his feet and slowly getting back to football shape, but with the 2025 NFL Draft less than one week away, there's a good chance the Bears' new coaching staff may look to move on from him as a starter.
Jones is expected to miss OTAs and return for training camp. He will have to get up to speed quickly in training camp to earn the starting spot. If the Bears select an offensive tackle with the No. 10 pick, there’s a good chance Jones will be too far behind to catch the rookie. There's a high likelihood that Will Campbell (LSU), Armand Membou (Missouri) or Kelvin Banks (Texas) will be Poles' selection in the first round.
The Bears have already given Jones some advice on how he can keep his starting job. During the annual league meeting, Head Coach Ben Johnson suggested Jones needed to gain some weight this offseason.
“The number one thing in my opinion that tackles need to do is pass protect. I think he’s got the feet to get that done. We’re going to challenge him to maybe gain a little bit more weight so that he can anchor a little bit better in pass pro. But everything I’ve seen so far has shown a phenomenal athlete out there on the edge that we feel like we can work with”.
The upcoming season is a crucial one for Jones, since it marks the final year of his rookie contract. A full season – something which the Southern Utah product has managed only once so far – would go a long way in helping his market value.