NFL: Atlanta Falcons at Chicago Bears Dec 31, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears offensive lineman Braxton Jones (70) blocks against the Atlanta Falcons at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Bears left tackle competition hits new low

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Jordan Sigler | Last updated Aug 17, 2025 7:05 PM ET

The end is not in sight for a winner in the fight to become the Chicago Bears‘ starting left tackle.

The Bears are hoping someone fights to win the job, and are increasing the pool of candidates instead of narrowing down the field with two preseason games left to play.

The Bears started training camp with a three-way race between Braxton Jones, Ozzy Trapilo, and Kiran Amegadjie. Theo Benedet was recently added to he mix amid disappointing practices from Jones, Trapilo, and an injury to Amegadjie.

Amegadjie returned to practice last week, but he hasn’t been a force. Trapilo, who played right tackle at Boston College, is much more comfortable at right tackle than left tackle. Jones has never been a great pass protector, plus he’s still getting his legs back after missing OTAs with an ankle injury.

The Chicago Bears hope to have an LT1 by Week 5

Per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, head coach Ben Johnson thinks the battle might last into the regular season, which is a problem considering who the Bears have to face in the early part of the schedule.

“As much as the team would have liked to have a clear choice by now, the job protecting Williams’ blind side is up for grabs, and Johnson even introduced the possibility it’s something they will be sorting through during the regular season and even to the bye in Week 5,” Biggs wrote. “The Bears are going to encounter a host of elite pass rushers before then, beginning with Jonathan Greenard (Minnesota Vikings), Aidan Hutchinson (Detroit Lions), Micah Parsons (Dallas Cowboys) and Maxx Crosby (Las Vegas Raiders) in the first four games. There’s a lot of ground to cover before the bye.”

While the situation isn’t ideal, Johnson believes that typical offensive lines cycle through players during the course of a 17-game regular season. Typically, that’s due to injury, and not because the Bears can’t find someone capable of doing the job.