Braxton Jones of the Chicago Bears has proven himself enough this offseason to claim the starting left tackle spot going into this season. Jones demonstrated his capabilities by participating in every snap alongside quarterback Caleb Williams and the offensive starters during the preseason games against the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. With this performance, it’s clear that he has come through a highly competitive training camp to hold onto his status as the incumbent left tackle.
Jones has an unblemished record to go along with 40 starts in the last three seasons, cementing his experience and reliability. During training camp, he competed with fellow lineman Ozzy Trapilo, Theo Benedet and Kiran Amegadjie. Jones’s work these past two weeks in practice has taken center stage. Even in the face of such a heated competition, he might have done enough to really strengthen his case for the starting role.
I wish I could say if we had a game today, we wouldn’t be doing that thing. This week’s hearings are do-or-die for me. So I gotta put the pads on, get a few practices in, and get acclimated to game speed while running around, chasing guys and talking out there. I believe that all’s gonna get me over,” Jones said.
Jones had no qualms about expressing his braggadocio when it came to detailing his abilities. He feels he’s shown he deserves to keep his job as he heads into his fourth year of doing it for the Bears. And that’s why Coach Ben Johnson was glowing in his praise over Jones’s performance, declaring, “He knows what he’s doing.”
With the Bears’ season opener looming just a few days away, Jones will be working to sharpen his skills in practice this week. He knows he needs to work on his game speed and his communication with teammates to get the best production out on the field. Johnson figures to be back on the practice field Tuesday. Equally as importantly, both players are extremely optimistic and excited to be preparing for the upcoming challenges that await them.
Though Jones has held onto his starting job, Theo Benedet is likely to be the backup to start at LT. Jones’s commitment to improving after returning from an injury, during which he was placed on the non-football injury list in July, has been commendable.
Even though Jones has officially won the starting job, Coach Johnson said that the coaching staff will continue to keep their eyes open. “We are not afraid to make a change if the performance isn’t where it needs to be,” he stated.
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