Bears’ Ben Johnson Taking His Time With Left Tackle Decision

New Bears head coach Ben Johnson isn’t rushing to name a starting left tackle — and for good reason.

Unlike his time with the Dolphins and Lions, Johnson now finds himself in a rare situation: a true three-way battle for a starting offensive line spot. As training camp gets underway, Braxton Jones, Kiran Amegadjie, and rookie Ozzy Trapilo are all in the mix for the job.

“That’s why everything’s going to matter,” Johnson said. “Every play matters, it all is going to matter as we go through this thing. I can’t tell you I’ve been through a three-man race before, so each play is going to be evaluated and they’ve got to take full advantage of each opportunity that they get.”

Protecting Caleb Williams’ Blindside

The Bears have their offensive line mostly set, from left guard Joe Thuney to right tackle Darnell Wright. But the left tackle spot — which protects quarterback Caleb Williams’ blindside — remains up for grabs. Williams took a league-high 68 sacks last season, so this decision carries major weight.

Jones has held the position for three seasons, starting 40 games since being drafted in the fifth round in 2022. But after fracturing his left ankle in December and missing offseason practices, his lead in the race has narrowed.

Johnson acknowledged Jones’ experience but made it clear that past starts won’t guarantee future playing time.

“I would like to think [Jones’] experience will help him, but we’re coming in with blank slates right now,” Johnson said, “And so just because a guy’s played and another guy hasn’t in this league, we’re going to let the competition play out and we’ll see where it goes.”

Rotating Reps in Practice

During the first few days of camp, Jones participated in limited reps as he eases back from injury. Trapilo and Amegadjie rotated in with the first team — Trapilo on Wednesday, Amegadjie on Thursday — while Jones worked primarily during install periods.

Tight end Cole Kmet said the competition is a positive sign for the team.

“I’m looking forward to seeing where that goes,” Kmet said. “I think there’s competition across the board in the offense. I’m sure that’s the highlighted one here coming into camp, but looking forward to seeing those guys compete, but I think whenever you bring in and have competition across the board at all position groups, it’s only going to make the team better.”

Trapilo’s Steady Rise

Ozzy Trapilo, the Bears’ second-round pick out of Boston College, has impressed early. He allowed just five penalties during three seasons as a college starter and has earned praise from the front office for his reliable, disciplined play. General manager Ryan Poles described him as “dependable” and a “technician.”

Trapilo started 10 games at left tackle in 2022 before switching to right tackle for the final two years of his college career. Knowing that versatility would help him in the NFL, Trapilo kept working on his left tackle technique in extra sessions at practice.

He said moving back to left tackle this spring helped him focus more on the details.

“With new technique, in a way it’s a little easier, I would say, because I don’t go flow state like I do if I were to go on the right side,” Trapilo said in June. “I kind of just get in those habits, whatever I’ve been taught for so long. So on that foreign side … you’re able to really hone in on the minor differences that these coaches want to see. There’s definitely benefits in that.”

Amegadjie’s Catch-Up Campaign

Kiran Amegadjie, the Bears’ third-round pick, is still trying to find his rhythm. He missed most of last year’s training camp with a quad injury and had limited reps as a rookie. His first start came in December against Minnesota, where he struggled.

Johnson said in April that the Bears needed to rebuild Amegadjie’s confidence and technique. Now fully healthy, he’s getting his chance to prove himself.

All three linemen will be evaluated closely, especially during joint practices with the Dolphins (Aug. 8) and Bills (Aug. 15). That gives the Bears a few more weeks to find the right fit.

Johnson in No Rush

Whether the decision comes sooner or later, Johnson wants to make sure it’s the right one.

“By Week 1, we’ll know exactly who our starting five are going to be,” he said. “If that takes three weeks, great. “If that takes six weeks to find out, no problem.”