Let’s be blunt: the Chicago Bears have been the NFL equivalent of a hangover breakfast buffet — a sloppy mix of optimism, regret, and something that might be eggs but could also be another failed first-round pick. But in the middle of that mess, there’s been one unexpected bright spot: Braxton Jones.
This fifth-round nobody out of Southern Utah has somehow turned himself into a legitimate NFL left tackle. Not elite, not perfect, but damn good. So the question heading into 2025: should the Bears keep him or start over? Short answer: Hell yes, keep him. Long answer? Let’s get into it.
Solid Numbers from a Solid Dude
Braxton Jones played 12 games in 2024 before his ankle went kaboom. During that stretch, he gave up 5 sacks and 26 pressures, per PFF. Not sexy, but not disastrous either. His 77.4 overall PFF grade ranked 20th out of 140 tackles. Top 15% territory. His pass blocking? Even better: 80.8 grade, 17th among tackles. Run blocking? Meh, 70.2, good for 35th.
Is he Trent Williams? No. Is he Jason Peters in his prime? Absolutely not. But for a guy who cost the Bears the price of a decent dinner at Gibson’s, he’s been worth every penny.
Context Is Everything
Look, the Bears drafted this guy in the fifth round in 2022. He wasn't supposed to be a starter. He was supposed to be a camp body. But then he just... took the damn job. Started 34 games over three years, and minus a few hiccups, he's been pretty damn consistent.
Pro Football Focus even had him ranked ahead of Darnell Wright going into 2024, and that dude was a first-rounder. That tells you how much Jones has overdelivered.
The Injury Cloud
Yeah, the guy's had some dings. A neck thing in 2023 cost him six games. A fractured ankle in 2024 shut him down for the last five. That sucks. But let’s keep it 100: unless you're playing QB in a dome, you’re gonna get banged up in this league.
The good news? No ligament damage. Clean break, clean recovery. He should be back for training camp, according to Bears medical staff. If you’re gonna gamble on a guy with some mileage, Jones isn’t the worst bet.
The Money Situation
Jones is entering the final year of a 4-year, $3.96 million rookie deal, per Spotrac. His 2025 cap hit? $3.73 million. That’s peanuts. Almonds. Whatever tiny nut metaphor you want. And with the Bears scraping together just $10.6 million in cap space (28th in the league), they can’t afford to drop $25M on a new shiny toy.
Top left tackles like Tristan Wirfs and Penei Sewell are pushing $28 million a year. Jones? You can probably extend him for $12-15M per season. That’s mid-tier money for a guy giving you above-average play. That’s called value.
The "Better Options" Argument Needs a 2026 Reboot
This past free agent market was a dumpster fire. Ronnie Stanley? Re-signed. Cam Robinson? One-year rental. Dan Moore Jr.? Overpaid. Everyone else? Washed, brittle, or backup material. The draft? Just as barren. Will Campbell and Armand Membou had potential but screamed "developmental."
Fast forward to 2026, and the landscape's shifted.
The draft class? Loaded. We're talking Spencer Fano, Kadyn Proctor, Francis Mauigoa — all projected first-rounders. Fano in particular is turning heads with elite run-blocking and versatility. He might be plug-and-play from Day One. Caleb Lomu and Charles Jagusah add even more depth to a class that PFF already called a "position of strength."
Free agency? Finally worth a look. Rashawn Slater could hit the market, though he's gonna cost more than a downtown Chicago condo. Kolton Miller? Uncertain contract situation. Bernhard Raimann? Younger and cheaper, and still ascending. Even the second-tier names like Taylor Moton and Jonah Williams are starting-caliber.
So yeah, for once, better options might actually exist. But here's the thing: the Bears don’t need to hit the panic button. They’ve got Jones, Trapilo, and Amegadjie developing. Unless Jones faceplants or injuries stack up, they’re not forced to overpay or overreach.
The smart play? Monitor the market. Scout the hell out of Fano and Lomu. But don’t fix what ain’t broken just because the menu finally got good.
Depth is a Luxury, Not a Solution
Ozzy Trapilo has looked promising in OTAs and minicamp — he's been rotating with the ones and showing some flashes that get you excited. But let’s not crown the guy king of the blindside before the pads even come on. We’ve all seen that movie where a guy dominates in shorts and helmets and then disappears faster than a Bears playoff win once real contact starts.
Kiran Amegadjie? Same deal. Last year’s third-rounder has tools, sure, but he’s still in developmental mode. Both need time. Maybe one makes the leap next year. But right now? Handing them the keys would be like letting a 16-year-old take your Ferrari out in the snow. Caleb Williams deserves better than running for his life before he even finishes a three-step drop.
The Smart Play: Extend Him. Now.
Here’s what Ryan Poles and the Bears brass should do: offer Braxton a 3-4 year extension in the $45-60 million range. Front-load some bonuses, bake in some injury protections, and maybe throw in a few incentives for Pro Bowl nods or sack percentages.
He gets security. You get continuity. Everyone wins.
And here's the real kicker: while you’re locking Jones in, you’re also giving Trapilo and Amegadjie time to marinate. Best-case scenario? One of them becomes a stud and pushes Jones inside or gives you leverage in two years. Worst-case? Jones holds down the left side while the kids develop.
Final Verdict
Braxton Jones isn’t elite. But he’s good. And in a league where "average" at left tackle costs $18 million a year, good is damn near gold.
He’s young, experienced, and affordable. He’s also shown improvement every year. With a new franchise QB in town and playoff hopes on the rise, this is not the time to gamble with one of the most important positions on the field.
Retain him. Extend him. And focus on building depth, not tearing down stability.
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