Bears left tackle Braxton Jones was one of the pleasant surprises to come out of an otherwise disappointing 2022 season. The fifth-round rookie played every snap at left tackle last season, and he showed potential to develop into a long-term starter.
Jones quickly established himself as an important part of the Bears’ offensive line. While he was impressive, he wasn’t without his rookie struggles in adjusting to the pro game. In fact, Jones admitted that quarterback Justin Fields bailed him out a few times, which made life easier on him as a rookie.
“As a young tackle, I had my rough times,” Jones told Heavy’s Matt Lombardo. “But, more than not, Justin got me out of some of those bad plays. When he does move a lot, it can go either way. Sometimes, you might run into one of those sacks where the defensive linemen can see better than I can where he’s going. And that’s tough.
“But, more times than not, Justin is helping the offensive line get out of those type of situations where maybe protection breaks down. He’s been great. It’s so fun watching him just start rolling down the field. There are multiple times when I’m trying to chase him, I can’t catch him at all, but I’m trying and cheering him on doing his thing.”
There was one play in particular that he referenced, and it’s one Bears fans remember well against the Dolphins. After all, Fields is at his best when he’s making something out of nothing.
JUSTIN. FREAKING. FIELDS.
📺: #MIAvsCHI on CBS pic.twitter.com/jFMAg0BeH7
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) November 6, 2022
“Against Miami, Justin had a [61-yard] rushing touchdown,” Jones said. “But, I was getting edged a little bit, and him getting out of the pocket and running for the touchdown, it made it look like I had actually pancaked the guy. But, actually, I was getting edged and Justin saved me and ran for the touchdown.”
As Fields enters a pivotal third season, the expectation is he’ll take a step forward in the passing game and establish himself as one of the NFL’s top young quarterbacks. Star players are supposed to elevate the players around them, and that’s exactly what Fields did last season for Jones. We’ll see what he does this year.
