Ben Johnson sounds off on Braxton Jones' return to Bears
For the second straight offseason, the Chicago Bears will hold a competition for the starting left tackle job, and former fifth-round pick Braxton Jones is once again positioned to win the battle.
Chicago appeared to have found an answer at left tackle in rookie Ozzy Trapilo, who took over halfway through the 2025 season. But after Trapilo suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in the wild-card playoffs, which will force him to miss most of the 2026 season, the Bears once again have a left tackle spot to fill.
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It’s a big reason why the Bears opted to bring Jones back on a one-year deal while also signing former first-round pick Jedrick Wills Jr. and re-signing Theo Benedet. At this point, Jones figures to be the favorite heading into the competition, especially after winning the job last summer. But head coach Ben Johnson has reason to believe that Jones will bounce back after being hampered by his injury recovery last season.
“He still didn’t feel 100% like himself,” Johnson said, via the Sun-Times. “What he put on tape those first four games, he didn’t feel like was very reflective of what he’s capable of. Looking back at it, we would agree with that. There’s more in there than what we saw.
“He came in when he signed the contract and he looked like a brand-new man. This guy was beefed up… He’s very determined to get his career trajectory back to where it was before.”
Johnson said all options are on the table when it comes to the left tackle position, whether it’s a short-term option amid a battle between Jones, Wills and Benedet or even long-term with a draft prospect. But, even if Jones really does only get one more year with Chicago, it’s an opportunity to audition for another team in the future.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears HC Ben Johnson sounds off on Braxton Jones’ return