Updated March 9, 2026, 6:05 p.m. CT
The Chicago Bears are bringing back veteran left tackle Braxton Jones, who’s signing a one-year contract extension worth up to $10 million, according to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler.
Jones started the 2025 season as the starting left tackle before his declining play and injury resulted in him being benched in favor of Theo Benedet, who was eventually usurped by rookie Ozzy Trapilo. Jones, a former fifth-round pick, has been a great value pick for Chicago serving as a three-year starter before losing favor with the team in 2025.
The Bears have a big hole at left tackle after Ozzy Trapilo suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in a wild-card playoff win against the Green Bay Packers, and he’s expected to miss most of the 2026 season. Chicago expects him to return, so bringing back Jones to compete for the starting left tackle job was always a short-term option.
The Bears recently signed Benedet as an exclusive rights free agent, so we could see a repeat of the left tackle competition from last summer with Jones, Benedet and former third-round pick Kiran Amegadjie (sans Trapilo).