Bears rookie left tackle Braxton Jones has impressed all offseason. Now, he’s set to face his biggest challenge in his first NFL start when he goes against 49ers star edge rusher Nick Bosa in Sunday’s season opener.
“The biggest thing for him is that he can do it all,” Jones said of Bosa, via NBC Sports Chicago. “He’s bursty. I noticed that when he takes steps, they are very long, and you don’t know where he’s going to react and go. He can go from being totally outside to being inside in a dime. That’s the things I’ve noticed. He’s just an overall player. He tries to be around the ball, and I think that’s the biggest thing is just trying to have him between you and the ball carrier.
“He just does everything real well and technical.”
Bosa is coming off a season where he logged 15.5 sacks and 52 tackles, including a league-leading 21 for loss. He’s someone who could things very difficult for quarterback Justin Fields on Sunday. So how exactly is Jones preparing to face Bosa?
“At the beginning of the week, I try to focus on the defense as a whole,” Jones said when asked how he’s studying to face Bosa. “Him as a player, they all kind of mirror each other. They play hard. They play grindy football. I kind of look at the whole, and then right after that, I’ll get into a little bit of personnel. While I’m looking at pictures of plays, I’m looking at certain plays if he’s making a move or stuff like that.
“But I’m not diving too hard into them. Then as the week goes and I’ve really got the scheme down in my film preparation, that’s when I’ll really dive into maybe little tells I can get — when he’s in this [stance] with this leg back or that leg back, certain things like that. That’s the biggest thing later in the week is to really crystalize that thought. But in the meat of the week, I’m really focused on scheme so that I can execute.”
Bosa is one of the league’s best pass rushers. But from a mental standpoint, Jones is focused on taking the same approach he would have on any given game week.
“The mindset is the same,” Jones said. “I think all these players in the NFL are here for a reason, you know. Obviously, when you’re going against a pass rusher like that you might be a little more alarmed, but I think even the rushers that don’t have the biggest names will get you because you aren’t preparing the same way. You have to prepare the same way for everybody.
“It’s my first NFL game. I have to prepare the same way for anybody. It’s just a better testament and it will just show how good my preparation.”
- ESPN analyst thinks Bears’ Justin Fields should demand a trade for ridiculous (and incorrect) reasons
- It doesn’t sound like Bears OL Teven Jenkins will start vs. 49ers
- 3 causes for concern as Bears face the 49ers in Week 1
- 3 keys for Bears offense vs. 49ers in Week 1
- 6 key 49ers players to watch against the Bears in Week 1
- Bears Week 1 injury report: Velus Jones Jr. once again DNP on Thursday
- DT Armon Watts believes he’ll thrive in this Bears defense
- Bears installed new Bermuda-style grass at Soldier Field
- Gimme Him: One player the Bears would steal from 49ers
- Packers OL David Bakhtiari, Elgton Jenkins making strides at practice. READ MORE ON PACKERS WIRE.
- Kirk Cousins is extremely accurate. READ MORE ON VIKINGS WIRE.
- Frank Ragnow misses another practice, availability for Week 1 in doubt. READ MORE ON LIONS WIRE.
