Left tackle Braxton Jones has agreed to return to the Chicago Bears on a one-year deal 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. The former FCS product from Southern Utah was selected in the fifth round in 2022 and started 17 games at left tackle as a rookie. Injuries in 2023 and 2024 limited Jones to 23 games combined over two seasons, all of which he started at left tackle.
Jones entered a contract year in 2025 coming off a season-ending ankle injury at the end of his third NFL season. While he rehabbed, the Bears drafted Ozzy Trapilo with the No. 56 pick, which signaled a shift along the offensive line and foreshadowed the offseason’s biggest position battle.
Jones competed with Trapilo, Kiran Amegadjie and Theo Benedet in training camp and ended up winning the left tackle job to start the 2025 season. He started four games at left tackle before being benched before halftime in Chicago’s 25-24 win at Las Vegas.
Jones was supplanted at left tackle by Benedet and logged 12 snaps over two games the rest of the season. He allowed 15 pressures and two sacks in 2025.
ESPN’s Courtney Cronin contributed to this report.
