The Chicago Bears are starting to shape up the practice squad for the 2026 NFL season, and usually it’s players who were already on the roster that were cut and then brought back.
However, Chicago is bringing an outside player to the practice squad, signing former Arizona Cardinals fifth-round pick offensive tackle Christian Jones, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
“#Bears are signing OT Christian Jones to the practice squad,” Biggs tweeted out. “Was a 5th rd pick by Arizona in 2024.”
Jones, 26, will have a fresh start in Chicago.
Bears Sign Former 6’5″, 320-lb Offensive Tackle Christian Jones
Daniel Popper of The Athletic highlighted Christian Jones as one of 13 NFL players who were recently released by their team but could make an ‘impact on a new team,’ writing, “Jones has looked very capable in pass protection for the Cardinals this preseason. He has a feel for timing and space when matched up one-on-one with edge rushers. He has quick feet when moving laterally to mirror rushes. Jones is better as a pass protector than a run blocker. But he took a step forward in the run game in Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers, including a key block on a long touchdown run. Jones played left tackle and right tackle in the preseason. He is the best swing tackle option on the waiver wire.”
With the Bears releasing Kiran Amegadjie (who quickly signed with the Philadelphia Eagles) and former Cleveland Browns first-round pick Jedrick Wills, bringing in Jones on the practice squad is a low-risk move that could be important if one of Braxton Jones or Theo Benedet were to go down with an injury.
Especially since Ozzy Trapilo is still recovering from injury.
Bears Left Tackle Situation
Now that Amegadjie and Wills are no longer on the team, the starting left tackle spot is up to Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet.
However, according to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, the starting gig belongs to Jones, who was the team’s starter last season before being benched for Trapilo.
“Without making a formal announcement, the Bears handed Braxton Jones the starting left tackle job when they cut Kiran Amegadjie and Jedrick Wills Jr. Neither player showed enough to factor into the team’s tackle depth, a role that goes to Theo Benedet as Chicago’s swing tackle.”
Regardless of who starts at left tackle, the hope is for Trapilo to not only return as the team’s starting LT, but to also be able to perform at the level he was at before that horrible torn patellar tendon injury.
Head coach Ben Johnson commented on Trapilo returning to practice, saying, “Physically, we feel really good about where he’s at. “Now it’s a race to see how quickly we can rebuild that confidence… we felt like this is a good opportunity over the course of training camp, with the padded practices we’re gonna have, to start building up that confidence again.”
The Bears will begin the 2026 season on the road against the Carolina Panthers on September 13th at 1 PM Eastern Time.
Bears Sign Former Cardinals 6’5″, 320-lb Offensive Tackle Before Season