The Bears are staring down a huge issue on offense right now, and it’s all about who’s protecting possible MVP candidate Caleb Williams’ blindside. With the team trying to defend their NFC North title and take that next big step, figuring out their starting left tackle isn’t just important, it’s pretty much mission-critical for an offense they hope is elite.
The LT Merry-Go-Round Is Already Spinning
It’s an absolute revolving door at left tackle, and honestly, it sounds like a nightmare for consistency. Right now, veteran Braxton Jones is listed as the starter on the depth chart. But he’s got competition from Theo Benedet and Ozzy Trapilo. Remember Trapilo? He was activated off the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list just recently after suffering a patellar tendon injury in last year’s playoffs. This guy was a second-round pick in 2025, and he played well in his stint at left tackle last year after Benedet had much of the year, probably looking like the incumbent starter before that serious injury in January. Head coach Ben Johnson said it himself, this whole situation has been “a little bit of a revolving door.” You can just feel the frustration from a unit that needs to be perfectly in sync.
A Future Hall of Famer Needs Clarity, Fast
This left tackle battle is creating some serious awkwardness for one of the best in the game: Joe Thuney. The dude’s a five-time All-Pro, a four-time Super Bowl champion, and the reigning NFL Protector of the Year. He’s a future Hall of Famer, plain and simple, and he could probably make any combo work. But even a player of his caliber needs stability to build chemistry. Johnson laid it out, “I think Joe [Thuney] would like some clarity on who he can build a rapport with.” That’s not just some throwaway line, that’s the absolute truth for any offensive line trying to play as one. Last year, Johnson mentioned it took until the bye week for their offensive line to click and get the run game going. They can’t afford that kind of slow start in 2026 if they want to hit the ground running.
The communication, the rapport, the seamless play between those five guys, especially your left guard and left tackle, is huge. Every single rep with the starters counts right now. The Bears gotta lock this down sooner rather than later for everyone’s sake, especially if they want to get that offense off to a fast start and really protect their potential MVP.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply