Has Braxton Jones done enough to secure his job with the Chicago Bears?

The Chicago Bears are going to have massive decisions to make at some of the most important positions in the sport this offseason. One of them is left tackle. Braxton Jones has been the Bears' left tackle for the past two seasons, but the team may be in a position to replace him if they feel it is necessary. 

Has Braxton Jones done enough to secure his job with the Chicago Bears?

Braxton Jones has improved year over year. He came out hot as a rookie but did not start his second year strong. Jones had issues with penalties and suffered a neck injury in week two. It was looking like the team would replace him.

Jones returned in week nine and looked rusty. However, from week 10 through the end of the season, he was one of the higher-graded tackles in the NFL. PFF grades are not everything by any means, but Jones finished the season ranked 11th amongst left tackles with enough qualified snaps in PFF grade. That came with a 21st-best grade in pass blocking and the fourth-best run blocking grade. Overall, that appears to match the tape. 

His feet can get ahead of himself in pass protection, and penalties have come as well. However, when he gets out in space and downhill, there are not many run blockers better than the big man. 

At the least, everyone can agree that Jones has been an average starter for the past two years. If the Chicago Bears pick a tackle in the top ten, they expect more than an average starter in return. However, if they pass on one in the top ten, the odds of them getting that type of play lower significantly, and they are looking more at patient projects like Braxton Jones again. In free agency, there is no way that they can find a player with the ability to beat out Jones, especially when you factor in the price tag Jones is playing on. This benefits the team by letting them spend big on the other premium positions. 

Jones has played well enough, and the Chicago Bears have big enough needs at key positions like edge rusher and wide receiver, which makes taking a tackle in the top ten a bit of a reach. The Bears should try to bring in-depth, but they are very unlikely to find any left tackle with the caliber to beat out Braxton Jones this offseason. The odds are that he will enter year three as the starting left tackle.