Bears offensive tackle Braxton Jones was one of the most pleasant surprises during an otherwise disappointing 3-14 season.
The fifth-round rookie started every snap at left tackle for Chicago, and he showed promise as a long-term starter. But he wasn’t without his faults, and he struggled against the bull rush.
Still, there’s reason to be optimistic about Jones’ future with the Bears. In fact, Pro Football Focus’ Zoltan Buday believes Jones is primed for a breakout season in his second year.
The fifth-round rookie started for the Bears and was the only player on the offense to play every single snap in 2022. Jones didn’t just handle a big workload, but he also played well, earning a 75.4 PFF grade that ranked 19th among players at the position. His 78.8 overall grade from Week 10 ranked ninth among left tackles.
Much like the Bears put their faith in quarterback Justin Fields by not drafting a quarterback at No. 1 in the NFL draft, they showed a similar belief in Jones. Rather than draft a prospect best suited at left tackle, they landed the best pure right tackle in the draft in Darnell Wright at 10th overall.
Considering Jones showed promise as a fifth-round rookie out of an FCS school, there’s definitely the potential to take a leap in his second full season at left tackle. And that would go a long way in helping Fields.
