The 2026 NFL Draft is set. With no new left tackle added to the Chicago Bears' roster in the draft, Braxton Jones' path to claiming the starting role for the upcoming season became a lot clearer.
With the 2026 NFL Draft over, it's time to look at who on the Chicago Bears' offense was the biggest winner coming out of the weekend.
Roundtable Sports published its biggest winner on the Bears' defense, and you can give that a read in the link below.
The Bears added one offensive lineman in this latest draft, Iowa center Logan Jones with the 57th overall pick in the second round, but there wasn't a left tackle selected.
There is an open competition at the left tackle position, and the Bears didn't add any new players to battle for the starting job, making Braxton Jones the clear winner on the Bears' offense after the 2026 NFL Draft.
Chance to Start
The Chicago Bears had four players start at left tackle throughout the 2025 season: Jones, Theo Benedet, Ozzy Trapilo and Joe Thuney (against the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs).
Jones started for four games until he was eventually replaced by Theo Benedet during Week 4's matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. After Jones lost the starting job, a knee injury in Week 7 sidelined him for the rest of the year.
Now, Jones is not only healthy but is "beefed up ... and looking yoked up" according to coach Ben Johnson, who said those comments when the veteran left tackle was at Halas Hall to re-sign his one-year contract.
Jones joined five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead on his YouTube show "The Set" and discussed what he has been up to this offseason. The 6-foot-5, 303-pound left tackle shared that he has been training in Texas renowned private offensive line coach Duke Manyweather to prepare for the upcoming season.
Throughout his first four years in the NFL, Jones has started 44 games, and when Armstead asked Jones if he is the answer at left tackle, Jones silenced any doubt.
“Yes sir,” Jones said. “Yeah, no, for sure. I mean I think the biggest thing too in my realization is actually knowing what Ben and Dan (Roushar) are looking for too, so I think that is huge for myself, and that’s why I’m very blessed just for last year and just how it kind of went and to learn and really watch and sit back, look at what he is looking for and his minor details and that’s just the both of them. I’m blessed to be back in the position that I am. Definitely trying to be the frontrunner for that. …”
Jones had one of his best seasons in the NFL in 2024. That year he allowed five sacks and 19 quarterbacks pressures in 719 offensive snaps played, according to Pro Football Focus. Obviously, the veteran offensive lineman would like to get those pressures numbers down, but that would be a start for Jones.
The main competition to earn that starting left tackle position is Jedrick Wills, who also signed a one-year contract in free agency. Wills, a former No. 10 overall pick in 2020, has been told by the Bears' staff that there is an opportunity to start on this team.
Jones does have the advantage over Wills, since he's been around Johnson, Roushar and the offense for an entire season, but he will have to maximize his opportunity to take the starting left tackle job and keep it throughout the 2026 NFL season.
Even if Jones doesn't secure a long-term deal with the Bears if he earns the starting job and plays well, he could lock down a lucrative contract somewhere else.