The Chicago Bears are headed into training camp with a familiar question at left tackle, and for now the answer still points to Braxton Jones.
Jones is the clear favorite to open as the starter, while Ozzie Trapilo is expected to miss at least a big chunk of the season. Theo Benedet and Jedrick Wills will also get a shot to compete, but barring a wave of injuries, the Bears are not expected to bring in another major name to shake up the group.
Still, one possible option keeps popping back into the conversation: Taylor Decker.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox recently ranked the best available NFL free agents before camp and matched each one with two logical landing spots. Decker, the former Detroit Lions left tackle, landed with the Bears and the Los Angeles Rams.
“At this point in his career, Decker would make the most sense for a legitimate contender looking to add some insurance to its offensive line. The Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams spring to mind.”
“Chicago has Ozzy Trapilo recovering from a ruptured patellar tendon...”
Decker’s name makes sense on paper, especially with Bears head coach Ben Johnson in the building. The two overlapped in Detroit for six seasons from 2019-2024, and Johnson even reached out to Decker after the Lions granted his release request, before Decker had heard from his former coaches.
But a reunion in Chicago was never really in the cards. Decker told Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network about Johnson’s outreach, and Rogers said the veteran tackle came away sounding firmly against the idea of joining either of Detroit’s NFC North rivals.
“I will tell you that he’s pretty anti-playing for the Bears or Packers. That’s the Lions background in him.
I know Ben Johnson did it and that was the right situation for him, but Taylor feels kind of dirty about the idea. It just isn’t interesting to him.”
The Minnesota Vikings were never part of the discussion, either, since Christian Darrisaw is locked in at left tackle.
So Decker wound up shutting down any NFC North reunion after being asked to take a pay cut and then requesting his release. Looking back, that left the Bears as a strong fit that he chose not to consider, even though he remains unsigned with training camps about to begin.
If Chicago ever did get pushed into the market by an injury issue, Decker would be an obvious name to call. But he made that possibility a nonstarter months ago, and the Bears likely understood the message.
In Other News...
White Sox May Have One Last Hope In That Curtis Mead Trade
The Curtis Mead deal looked like a small spring-training move at the time, the kind of roster shuffle that barely registers once camp breaks. Chicago had designated Mead for assignment after 2026 spring training and sent him to Washington, getting catcher Boston Smith and a 2025 draft pick back in return, a package that was easy to overlook when the transaction was announced.
Mead has since turned into a real hitter for the Nationals, which only sharpens the question of what the White Sox actually got out of the swap. The answer may still be developing in the minors, where Smith has emerged as one of the more interesting names in the system and given Chicago at least one reason to believe the trade could age better than it first appeared. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Minor League Update Puts Pitching Prospect Return In Focus
The Charlotte Knights came up short again Tuesday, falling 3-2 to Durham in a game that left the White Sox system with a familiar mix of missed chances and a pitching return worth watching. Charlotte was outhit but could not cash in enough of its opportunities, while Shane Murphy handled the start and gave the club a chance to stay close.
The bigger note for Chicago was Hagen Smith making his first appearance back from the injured list, a development the organization has been tracking closely. His return is the kind of checkpoint that matters more than the final score in a minor league box, especially with the White Sox still sorting out how their pitching prospects fit into the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Finally Had A Feel Good Win Then Teel Left
For a White Sox team that has spent much of the season searching for any kind of lift, Tuesdays win over Texas at least offered a little of everything they have been missing. Andrew Benintendi delivered the biggest swing, a bases-clearing double in the fifth that flipped the game and gave Chicago a cushion it could protect, while the bullpen kept the Rangers from mounting much of a push the rest of the way.
The mood around the game changed, though, when Kyle Teel left early for Texas after a non-contact injury at home plate. The White Sox will take the victory and the work from their relievers, but the final image from a much-needed feel-good night was a reminder that even on a good day, there is still plenty that can go sideways. [Read more 🡒]