Going into OTAs that begin this week, the one position battle that everyone is going to have their eyes on for the Chicago Bears is at left tackle.
Ozzy Trapilo is out for at least the first half of the 2026 season, leaving the left tackle position to be decided by Braxton Jones, Theo Benedet, and Jedrick Wills. Bears reporter Brad Biggs spoke about the position battle and who he believes is leading it at the moment.
“I certainly think Jones and Benedet are probably ahead of Wills," Biggs said via 104.3 The Score. "He wasn’t on a team last year. To me, Braxton’s probably the guy to beat out. And he’s got to go out and show it and prove it.”
Braxton Jones has the early advantage in the Bears' left tackle position battle
That should come as no surprise to any Bears fan, as Jones has been believed to be in the lead since he has experience in head coach Ben Johnson's offense from last year. Jones also has years of NFL experience before losing his left tackle job in 2025 to Benedet due to performance and injury.
The buzz around Jones has been loud, with Johnson and people outside the Bears organization speaking highly of Him and how he has gone about the offseason. He has overcome a mental hurdle and is now focused on getting there physically.
While Jones is more consistent in pass blocking, Benedet is the stronger run blocker between the two. That will leave some tough choices for the Bears to figure out which one is more important for the franchise to have at left tackle.
Wills hasn't played in two years, leaving some worried about how he will look after sitting out all of last year. That lack of recent playing time and experience in Johnson's offense leaves him at a disadvantage.
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Jones appears to be in the driver's seat for the moment, but a lot can change over the next few months before the 2026 regular season kicks off.
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