The Chicago Bears are bringing back left tackle Braxton Jones on a one-year contract worth up to $10 million, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Jones, 26, was the first offensive lineman drafted by Bears general manager Ryan Poles, who selected the former Southern Utah Thunderbirds standout in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Jones immediately stepped into the starting lineup as a rookie, starting all 17 games at left tackle.
Injuries over the next two seasons slowed his progress, limiting him to 23 combined games in 2023 and 2024, though he started each of those appearances. Entering the 2025 season in the final year of his contract while recovering from a season-ending ankle injury, Jones faced heavy competition after Chicago drafted offensive lineman Ozzy Trapilo in the second round.
Jones battled Trapilo, Kiran Amegadjie and Theo Benedet during training camp and won the starting left tackle job to open the season. However, after starting the first four games, he was benched before halftime of Chicago’s 25–24 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Benedet eventually took over the position, and Jones played just 12 snaps across two games the rest of the season. In limited action during 2025, he allowed 15 pressures and two sacks.
