Depending upon who you ask, the Chicago Bears' offensive line could be a question mark heading into training camp. With potentially two positions up for grabs in left tackle and center, the group is certainly a talking point.
But, in all likelihood, it'll be Braxton Jones and Garrett Bradbury locking down those positions for 2026.
Behind the starting five, Chicago has some intriguing pieces, and that includes a guy not many Bears fans have heard of: former Auburn offensive lineman Mason Murphy.
As of right now, Murphy is listed as an offensive tackle, which is becoming a somewhat crowded group. However, he could be more than just a tackle, and that plays into how valuable he may become in training camp.
Mason Murphy offers Ben Johnson a versatile option on the offensive line
Many times, in the NFL, you see certain players who are able to play multiple positions. Maybe it's because of previous experience, or maybe they're simply thrust into a new spot out of necessity. Regardless, that gives an offensive line coach some versatility in case of injury down the line.
For Murphy, that's exactly what he could offer the Bears. During his last season at Auburn before going undrafted this past April, Murphy started nine games at right tackle.
But, here's the kicker: he also started three games at center.
Because of an injury to Connor Lew and his backup struggling, Murphy was thrust into an unfamiliar position for the final three contests of the Tigers' season.
But, that's not all.
Before his days at Auburn, Murphy spent three years at USC where he started games at right guard, left tackle and right tackle.
That's some serious versatility displayed, and at two top-tier college programs, nonetheless.
At 6-foot-5, 315 pounds, Murphy brings good size to any position he may play in the NFL. And with his experience at four out of five spots, he could offer the Bears something they don't have otherwise: a real chess piece.
Now, Murphy will have his work cut out for him, of course. Going into his first training camp, he's competing with some talented players ahead of him; most of which have had experience in NFL games.
If he ends up getting some run at guard, of course there's Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson locked in as the starters. But behind those two are a couple of guys the Bears feel good about and have stepped in to play even as recent as last year, in Luke Newman and Jordan McFadden.
At tackle, you've got Jones and Darnell Wright, but following Jones closely behind is Theo Benedet, who will have no problem making this roster as he competes for the starting gig.
The wild card at tackle is Jedrick Wills, whose career has been derailed by injuries. He's a former first-round pick, so we've got to give him that respect, at the very least. He'll be competing for a depth role.
The Bears also have Kiran Amegadjie, who very well might be on his way out of Chicago and off this roster as a former third-round pick and a swing-and-miss by Ryan Poles.
At center, the Bears are set with Logan Jones, their 2026 second-round pick right behind Bradbury.
There may be potential for Murphy to make some noise and make it onto this roster as the last man standing in this group, however. His experience playing four different positions should really come into play, and it has to be a big reason why the Bears signed him after going undrafted.
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If he's able to impress in camp and show something on film during the preseason, I love the idea of keeping this undrafted gem around on Ben Johnson's roster. You never know when you're going to need that type of versatility up front, especially later in the season when injuries could become a real problem.
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