Braxton Jones enters the 2026 season in a spot few Bears can match: the left tackle job is his for now, but the clock is already ticking.
Jones appeared to win the starting role a year ago, only to see that hold for four games before Theo Benedet moved in and Ozzy Trapilo later took over. Now, heading into 2026, Jones is projected to open Week 1 as the starter, though Trapilo is expected to reclaim the spot once he is fully healthy after his injury. That setup turns this season into a defining one for Jones’ NFL future.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell put Jones among the players, coaches, and executives under the most pressure in 2026, and the reasoning is straightforward: Jones is auditioning not just for Chicago, but for the rest of the league.
"Trapilo will eventually regain the starting job once healthy, but Jones is essentially on display for the league's other 31 teams for as long as he's on the field at left tackle in Chicago.
Would he have a big market in free agency? Two years ago, middling (Dan Moore Jr., Titans) and inexperienced (Jaylon Moore, Chiefs) left tackles earned significant contracts in free agency.
After those deals disappointed, the league as a whole collectively shrugged at Packers tackle Rasheed Walker this offseason, leading the three-year starter to sign with the Panthers for a smaller deal than the one Jones signed in Chicago. Given how many teams desperately need left tackle solutions, if Jones can stay healthy and play well, I'd expect him to have a real market in 2027.
There's just a lot of road ahead of that scenario."
Last season, Jones logged 136 pass-blocking snaps and gave up 15 pressures, two quarterback hits, and two sacks. Pro Football Focus graded him at 55.5 overall, with a 62.7 mark in pass blocking and a 47.2 grade in run blocking.
The offseason brought optimism around Jones, with signs that he was fully healthy and ready to play the best football of his career. That momentum didn’t carry into training camp, where he struggled badly and barely separated himself from Kiran Amegadjie and Jedrick Wills Jr., both of whom were eventually cut.
With Trapilo continuing to make progress in his recovery, Jones may not get much runway. Every snap could matter, whether he keeps the job for one game or the first month.
If he doesn’t play well, the damage could extend beyond Chicago. Jones could hurt his chances of competing for a starting role elsewhere, and even a backup job on another roster might be at risk. For him, this season leaves no room for a slow start.
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