Braxton Jones has officially been named the starting left tackle for the Chicago Bears.
For now.
With the first depth chart coming out ahead of the Bears' Week 1 clash with the Carolina Panthers, we got to see who won the battle between Jones and Theo Benedet. In the end, logic prevailed and Jones won the job like most thought he would.
However, that doesn't deter from the fact that Jones is going to lose that job in the (hopefully) very near future, thanks to second-year pro Ozzy Trapilo coming back from injury. By now, most Bears fans know who and what Braxton Jones is.
In Year 5, we shouldn't be talking about a left tackle still needing to improve his anchor. We shouldn't be seeing him get blown off the line regularly, but that's exactly what we've continued to see. That's who Jones is. He hardly has a base to him and, thus, is a major liability to this offense. It's plain and simple.
The Bears need Ozzy Trapilo back as soon as possible
When meeting with the media, head coach Ben Johnson talked about Trapilo's return in conjunction with Jones winning the job. He answered the question everybody is wondering. When will Trapilo be back?
"I can’t say it’s in the near future. I know he’s working his tail off. It’s been beyond impressive for him to be where he is today. The fact that he’s out there with those guys and he’s strong, he’s flexible, it’s a credit to him. It’s a credit to guys in the weight room who have been training him. I think we’re headed in the right direction there."
The fact that Trapilo didn't start the season on injured reserve is very telling. That leads one to believe he could be back by Week 4, when the Bears take on the New York Jets at home.
With Jones starting, we are bound to see the offense look a little different than if it were Trapilo. All I can say is, thank God Caleb Williams lost a little weight and became even faster over the offseason. He might just need those wheels a little more while Jones is protecting his blind side.
We could see Williams run a bit more than what his norm might be while Jones is the starter. By default, that also puts Williams more in harm's way.
Can you see how this simply isn't an ideal scenario?
The Bears desperately need Trapilo back.
Have I mentioned this?
We don't want our franchise quarterback running for his life on a regular basis. Getting creative and taking off when a play breaks down is one thing, but feeling consistent pressure from his blind side is another.
Sure, Jones is a guy the Bears can win with if need be. But, he isn't the best-case option for this team like Trapilo is.
It won't take long for Bears fans to throw in the towel on Jones and start looking even further ahead. Just imagine if Jaelan Phillips or Derrick Brown happen to line up against Jones, beat him badly, and lay a nice lick on Williams during Week 1.
Jones won't have a single supporter, then, and all it will have taken is just a single week.
Read more: Ranking the Bears roster against every NFC North opponent in 8 key categories
Please hurry back, Ozzy.
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