Block or Not: Christian Jones
Will Christian Jones ever emerge as a key component to the Chicago Bears’ defense?
If you told a lot of Chicago Bears‘ analysts that Christian Jones would be one of the few players left from the Phil Emery era in 2018, most would have thought you were crazy. Jones had a nice rookie year with a few impact plays, but certainly it wasn’t enough to think he would become a top-notch linebacker, especially with the team switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4.
More from Bear Goggles On
- Franchise tag and transition tag windows open for Chicago Bears and NFL
- How the Chicago Bears can control the running back market in 2023
- The Chicago Bears can own the city of Chicago moving forward
- Chicago Bears NFL Combine Preview: Quarterback
- 7 best free agent tackle options for Chicago Bears
But Jones has continued to improve and has continued to show that he deserves a roster spot on this team. With the Bears almost certainly moving on from Jerrell Freeman, they will have an open inside linebacker spot next to Danny Trevathan. It’s always possible that the Bears use a high draft pick or sign a free agent linebacker, but odds are the Bears will plan on filling that roster spot internally.
If they do, Nick Kwiatkoski is going to have the inside track to win that position, but Jones will definitely push him for the spot. Jones is technically a free agent, but he shouldn’t be expensive and it honestly doesn’t make much sense to let him walk. Jones has proven to be a valuable rotational player who, if forced to start due to injury, should be able to do a serviceable job.
Jones has proven that he cannot call out defensive plays, so when he’s in the game, the Bears are going to have to make sure that another individual has those duties, but in terms of reading and reacting and getting to the ball, Jones has proven to be valuable.
That being said, that doesn’t mean that Jones is part of the Bears foundation. He has proven himself to be worthy of a roster spot, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he will be a part of the team’s core moving forward. It does make sense for the Bears to sign him at a low-risk two or three-year deal, but he certainly shouldn’t be considered a key component of the future roster of the team.
Christian Jones: Block or Not? NOT