The one constant among Chicago Bears fans during the summer and training camp was simple: total and utter confusion about who would protect Caleb Williams' blind side.
It all started with rookie second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo and veteran Braxton Jones battling it out for the first few weeks of camp. It eventually became a battle between Jones and former undrafted free agent Theo Benedet.
With no starter being named (even though every fan believes it will be Jones), left tackle has become a major concern with the team entering the 2025 season. ESPN Bears reporter Courtney Cronin agrees with the assessment.
"It's a position battle that spanned nearly all of camp and seems to have landed where it started, with incumbent left tackle Braxton Jones in line to start Week 1 versus Minnesota. The Bears poured a ton of resources into revamping the O-line this offseason, but how well the linemen will protect Williams' blind side after he was sacked 68 times as a rookie remains a question."
Are the Bears making the right call leaning towards Jones starting?
Trapilo was a fan favorite to win the job, but he needs more time to develop. The Bears were able to make him into a swing tackle, which will come in handy as the season rolls on should injuries start to pop up.
Benedet has the size and athleticism to be a future starter at left tackle, but even Bears head coach Ben Johnson admitted that he brought him into the competition too late. Chicago might look at Benedet later in the season to start as Johnson has said he is looking at evaluating the left tackle position week by week.
That leaves Jones, who held the job last year and didn't do a bad job, but is coming off his late-season injury in 2024. He has had his rough moments in preseason games, but his experience is much needed in a time when the Bears need stability around their franchise quarterback.
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Jones is a good choice for the short term. Chicago hopes that Trapilo or Benedet will be the future left tackle for the team. If neither one of them steps up, then the Bears have a major problem in 2026 and beyond.