Braxton Jones vs. Kiran Amegadjie
After Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft, Bears starting left tackle Braxton Jones had to be breathing a sigh of relief. For all the talk about Chicago potentially selecting an offensive tackle at no. 9, the Bears wound up taking Rome Odunze, putting the rumors to rest -- and it was the right decision.
But, in Round 3, Chicago took offensive tackle Kiram Amegadjie out of Yale. And, this pick was a long time in the making. Last year, Amegadjie told head coach Matt Eberflus that he was going to be a future Bear, and he was right. The Yale product must have made a lasting impression, and now he gets an opportunity to compete with Jones for the starting left tackle job.
Amegadjie is an Eberflus type. He is ultra-athletic, and at 6-foot-5, that's impressive. He brings quickness and tremendous length, plus he is a very smart football player.
Jones obviously has the starting experience and knows the locker room. There's comfortability with Jones. But, he has also not shown that he's irreplaceable. With a franchise quarterback in place like Caleb Williams, now, the Bears need to figure out who will be able to protect him the best.