The Chicago Bears faced a tough decision at the top of the NFL draft. Everybody knew they were taking a quarterback #1 overall. The bigger issue was who they’d take with the 9th pick. Many had the field narrowed to either one of the top wide receivers or a top pass rusher. GM Ryan Poles quickly insisted offensive tackle was also on the table. That felt like a clear indictment of left tackle Braxton Jones, who had missed time last season with a neck injury. After weeks of deliberation, the Bears decided to take wide receiver Rome Odunze if he fell to that spot. He, of course, did.
This was obviously a reflection of their confidence in the young man’s talent and Jones’ ability to keep building on his first two years. Former scouting director Greg Gabriel believes people have overlooked how much the young tackle has improved over the past two years. To go from Southern Utah to decent NFL tackle in two years is nothing close to normal. Now, he’s experienced and growing into his body. Gabriel believes this will be the season he puts everything together.
Jones’ traits are excellent. He is tall, with very good overall athleticism and excellent length (35 3/8” arms). Few tackles in the League have the natural athleticism that Jones has. Yes, as a rookie, he had trouble blocking bull rushes as his anchor wasn’t as good as he wanted. He worked hard in the 2023 off-season to correct that and showed drastic improvement. He should be even better this year, as he has had another year in the weight room…
…I looked at all the top tackles in this past April’s Draft, and there wasn’t one tackle who had the natural traits (size, length, athleticism) that Jones possesses. Yes, there were guys who were stronger, but they didn’t have the speed, length, and overall athleticism Jones has. Add to that the fact that Jones now has two years of NFL experience, and we are just beginning to see how good he can become.
I expect Jones to have a big break-out year. Why? Not only is he blessed with excellent natural skills, but he has a very strong football character and wants to become a great player.
For all the grief the Bears offensive line has received over the past two years, it’s important to remember Justin Fields made their lives difficult with his tendency to hold the ball. Caleb Williams has demonstrated an ability to play more on time and in rhythm. If he brings that to the NFL, people shouldn’t be shocked if they start seeing cleaner performances from the offensive line. Jones had stretches of last season where he was almost impossible to get around. Sure, guys like Myles Garrett gave him problems, but that is hardly a surprise.
Outside of a few rocky moments, Braxton Jones was as dependable as they come. The Bears don’t need him to be a superstar. All they need is consistency. He found more of that last season. He should be healthy now and in proper NFL shape. He’ll have a new offensive coordinator who is proven at working with young tackles. He did a great job with Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas in Seattle. If Jones puts together the year he’s capable of, don’t be shocked to hear his name mentioned for the Pro Bowl.
