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...
Illinois Just Entered A Recruiting Race Brad Underwood Rarely Joins
Illinois has jumped into the chase for one of the biggest names in the 2028 class, extending a scholarship offer to AJ Williams, a 6-foot-8 wing from Georgia who already carries the kind of reputation that turns recruiting into a national event. Williams, who attends Eagles Landing Christian Academy and plays for Team CP3 on the Nike EYBL circuit, is known for his scoring touch, defensive versatility and the sort of size that gives high-major staffs plenty to imagine.
For Brad Underwood, this is the kind of race Illinois does not often enter this early, but it also fits the reality of how the program has tried to stay ahead of the curve in recruiting. If Williams keeps rising the way evaluators expect, the Illini would have plenty to sell beyond just an offer sheet, with a system that could eventually feature him in a variety of ways. The bigger question now is how far Illinois can stay in the mix as the countrys top prospects start sorting through a long list of contenders. [Read more 🡒]
Kerby Joseph Suddenly Faces A Defining Test For His NFL Future
Kerby Josephs rise with the Lions has been fast enough to make his latest hurdle feel especially jarring. After an All-Pro season in 2024 and a record contract, the former Illinois standout entered 2025 with the kind of momentum that usually points toward a long run as one of the NFLs top safeties, but a knee injury cut into that progress and left him playing only six games.
Now the focus has shifted from production to durability, and that is where the stakes get much bigger. As the 2026 preseason opens, Joseph is still not practicing, and the season is being framed as a defining one for his future, with his ability to get back to full strength and stay there carrying real weight for both his career arc and the Lions plans. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Still Faces One Familiar Question On A Title-Caliber Roster
Illinois enters the 2026-27 conversation with the kind of roster most programs would happily build around, thanks to five returning rotation players from last years Final Four team. The talent is there, the continuity is there, and Brad Underwood has already shown he is comfortable leaning into a bigger, less conventional backcourt if it helps the offense function at a high level.
The familiar question is whether the Illini can keep that formula humming at point guard, where the options again look more like oversized creators than a traditional floor general. Stefan Vaaks, Quentin Coleman and David Mirkovic all fit that broader Underwood mold in different ways, and the way Illinois sorts through that group could end up shaping how high the ceiling really is for a roster built to contend. [Read more 🡒]