The concerns around Braxton Jones aren’t difficult to understand. He’s been a solid starter for the Chicago Bears since they drafted him in 2022. However, two key problems have put them in an awkward position. First is the ankle injury he suffered last year, ending his season early. It appears his recovery process is such that he won’t be ready for the start of training camp. On top of that, 2025 is his last season under contract. That means the Bears face the difficult decision of whether to let him hit free agency or pay him.
The latter option presents a big issue. Offensive tackles have gotten big money lately. Dan Moore Jr. received $20.5 million per year from the Tennessee Titans. Nobody would consider him above an average NFL tackle. That means Jones is almost certain to command as much or more on the market. This is why some believe the Bears should seriously consider seeking alternatives in the NFL draft. However, some interesting comments from new offensive line coach Dan Roushar suggest not to write Jones off yet.
“Braxton has been in that role for the last couple years and the injury was significant. If he were healthy today, he would be our left tackle and we would have confidence in him doing the job. That’s going to be a little bit of a process for his recovery but if nothing changed, I would see Braxton being our left tackle at the moment.”
Roushar is no stranger to somebody like Braxton Jones.
He has coached that type of tackle before. During his time in New Orleans, he worked with left tackle Terron Armstead. Like Jones, he had a reputation for being a great athlete, with questions about his ability to anchor against power at the professional level. He was solid through his first three years with the team. When Roushar took over in 2016, he began ascending. By 2018, he made the first of three straight Pro Bowls under the coach’s watch. If Armstead could accomplish that, there is no reason to think Braxton Jones can’t. At least that is what Roushar might be thinking. The key is getting him healthy and under a better work regimen than what he experienced the past few years with Chris Morgan.
