The Chicago Bears were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday.
But the biggest news came down when left tackle Braxton Jones was suddenly diagnosed with a concussion and was ruled out against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Bears added LT Braxton Jones to the injury report with a concussion and ruled him out for MNF. He reported lingering symptoms from last Sun. and was diagnosed this AM. Could be Kiran Amegadjie starting in his place.
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) December 15, 2024
RB Darrynton Evans was called up from the practice squad.
The Bears are also going to miss defensive tackle Gervon Dexter, which could impact both their run defense and pass rush.
With Jones out, either Larry Borom or the rookie Kiran Amegadjie will protect Caleb Williams' blind side on Monday night.
No matter who starts at left tackle, the Bears' situation is not ideal. Vikings' defensive coordinator Brian Flores and his blitzing defense could have a field day against Williams.
With the playoffs out of the picture, the Bears need to play Amegadjie over Borom to see what they have in him. If he can hold on his own the last four games, the Bears have someone that they can develop next season and beyond. If he is completely overmatched and unable to hold his own, then Poles deserves heavy scrutiny for his inability to scout offensive linemen even after his third season as the general manager.
Of course, the offensive line play on Monday could play a part in Ryan Poles' future with the Bears. Over the weekend, there has been much discussion about a report from the Chicago Tribune, which broke down all the mistakes that have been made under Poles' watch. Among those mistakes was Poles failing to substantially upgrade the offensive line while also ignoring warning signs of signing Nate Davis.
Poles' inability to fix the offensive line has never been more egregious than this season. The 2024 season was meant to be a soft landing spot for Caleb Williams. Instead, Williams has been the most-sacked quarterback in the NFL this season. That stat lands at the feet of Poles, who could face more scrutiny if the Bears' losing streak continues.