The Chicago Bears placed left tackle Braxton Jones on the IR. This is devastating news when you think of where Jones stands in his career. He was fine as a rookie but needed to show growth in year two to continue starting. Now, the Bears are not sure if he will come back at all this season.
Depending on how long they expect Jones to be out will determine what type of moves they make to replace him. However, these are the most likely options for the Bears.
3. The Chicago Bears will likely start Larry Borom
It feels like the Chicago Bears will stick with Larry Borom and start him at left tackle. Borom entered the season as the swing tackle, so on paper, he is the next man up. The Bears called up Aviante Collins from the practice squad, so he will probably step in as the swing tackle, and Borom will start.
If the Bears were going to add someone outside the building, they probably would not have called up Collins. However, this could end up as a one-week thing. Borom is the backup, and he has experience; the issue is that most of it has come at right tackle.
Borom has 1,012 snaps at right tackle and 85 snaps at left tackle during his career. To be fair, he does have 111 snaps at left tackle in the preseason, including 40 this year. Still, he also has 130 snaps at right tackle in the preseason with 49 on the right side. He is better at right tackle.
Aviante Collins played more left tackle this preseason. Is there any chance the team plays him there? Probably not, but there is reason to be concerned with Borom starting on the left side.
2. Will the Chicago Bears move Darnell Wright to left tackle?
One option, if they do not trust Larry Borom on the left side, is to give Darnell Wright that chance on the left side. Matt Eberflus said that the team is discussing that idea. There are pros and cons to this.
First, Wright may have more value on the left side. If he was able to start and succeed, the team would have the starter of the future, and that pick would look even better. However, Wright was a riser on draft boards because he struggled at left tackle and was only this good on the right side.
Would Wright struggle if he was asked to move to the left side? There is a chance that he does, and it ends up crushing him in both spots. It takes time away from his development at right tackle, and the team may eventually realize that he has to stay there anyway.
The risk is high because it could hurt the development of Wright. The reward is much higher than starting Borom because if he succeeds, it goes such a long way. Is it worth it?
1. Can the Chicago Bears add a tackle outside the building
If the Chicago Bears stick with the names inside the building, it will be Borom, Collins, or Wright the rest of the way. However, because this is such a long-term injury, they will have to sign someone. The question is, do they sign someone to replace Collins on the practice squad, or do they actually sign someone to push Larry Borom?
After two or three weeks, there are not many names available. Most of the guys around are coming back from injuries. However, La'El Collins is around and is close to being healthy. Do they give Borom a week or two, then call Collins? Eric Fisher has injury issues but could be called to start until something new comes up. Even Dennis Kelly is around and could be signed.
The pickings of trading for a tackle are slim because teams need the depth. However, a team like the Arizona Cardinals probably would unload Kelvin Beachum. Sitting at 0-2, it is hard to see the Bears giving up draft capital for this season. Still, if they feel that Borom is going to hinder them and they cannot run an offense where they learn enough about their talent, it could be mandatory.
What will the Chicago Bears do? We will see how Larry Borom plays in week three, then we will see.