Joe Thuney isn’t pretending the Bears’ left tackle situation is anything other than a work in progress.
For the second straight training camp, Chicago is sorting through who should protect the blind side. Ozzy Trapilo’s return to practice came earlier than expected after last year’s playoffs, when he tore a patellar tendon, and that gives the Bears another name to consider down the line. For now, though, the picture has mostly come down to Braxton Jones, still the leading candidate for Week 1, and Theo Benedet in the competition.
No matter who wins the job, the Bears know the player lining up at left tackle will have a little more room to breathe with Thuney at left guard.
A day after Chicago’s preseason opener, Thuney addressed the uncertainty beside him and sounded more focused on stability than on the drama of the battle.
"Regardless of who’s in there,” Thuney said, “I try to communicate as well as I can. I try to get the run fits as consistent as I can so it feels the same for everybody. Then it’s just trying to be on the same page with what each play (calls for) and with each player there next to me.”
That kind of answer fits Thuney. He doesn’t come off as rattled by the revolving door at left tackle, and he also made a point of speaking highly of the players in the mix.
Ben Johnson said Tuesday that he understands why Thuney would want the Bears to settle the spot sooner rather than later.
"I think Joe would like some clarity on who he can build a rapport with,” Johnson said. “It’s been a little bit of a revolving door.
He’s a pro’s pro and he’s willing to do everything, but you want five guys playing as one. We’ll go as long as we need to to figure out who those five are, but at the same time, the sooner we can make that decision, the sooner they can jell as a unit as well.
Last year it took us until the bye week before we started clicking as an offensive line and the run game came alive the way we wanted. I think he’s doing a great job.
The communication is a huge piece of it.”
Johnson was also asked whether Thuney would have a say in who ends up at left tackle. He made it clear the decision will come from what the Bears see on tape in camp and preseason games.
That leaves the same basic ask for everyone involved: someone has to seize the job between now and Week 1, even if the answer is only temporary until Trapilo is ready.
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