The Chicago Bears are in considerable flux at left tackle after Braxton Jones suffered an injury against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night, leaving his status for Week 4 against the New York Jets up in the air, while Ozzy Trapilo remains on the precipice of a return from the torn patellar tendon that he sustained during the playoffs in January.
Head coach Ben Johnson addressed the situations of both players on Wednesday, September 30.
“Braxton Jones (knee) is week-to-week and will not go through walk through today, per Ben Johnson,” Courtney Cronin of ESPN reported via X. “Some uncertainty about whether Ozzy Trapilo will play vs. the Jets. ‘I don’t know if this will be the week or not,’ Johnson said, stressing that Trapilo is ‘close.'”
If neither player can go, or if either suits up in a limited capacity, swing tackle Theo Benedet will likely get the start. Benedet stepped into the LT spot for Jones against Philadelphia in Week 3 after the latter exited the contest with his knee issue.
Bears’ Depth at Offensive Tackle Position Looking Thin Heading Into Week 4
If Jones and Trapilo are both out on Sunday at Soldier Field, the Bears won’t be able to afford another health problem popping up at the tackle position.
Darnell Wright is an All-Pro player on the right side, while Benedet is a competent enough performer to start on the left side in a tough spot. He took over the job from Jones early last season before eventually losing it to Trapilo, who was then a second-round rookie.
Jones is probably only still in Chicago because the Bears had limited options following Trapilo’s injury against the Green Bay Packers in the opening round of the postseason. Jones struggled through injury concerns in 2025 as well and signed just a one-year deal to return to the Bears in 2026 at well below the market average for the position.
Bears Have Idea of Who Will Start at QB Between Case Keenum, Tyson Bagent but Aren’t Sharing
Serious questions also remain as to who the Bears will start under center against the Jets.
Caleb Williams did not participate in practice on Wednesday and has been out with a hamstring strain since the fourth quarter of the team’s Week 2 contest against the Minnesota Vikings.
Case Keenum got the start against Philadelphia in Week 3 and made the most of it, throwing for nearly 250 yards and accounting for three total touchdowns.
Meanwhile Tyson Bagent, Williams’ regular backup QB, cleared concussion protocol one day before the Bears hosted the Eagles. However, Johnson stuck with Keenum because Chicago had game-planned with him in mind for the entire week of preparation while the coaching staff was uncertain as to Bagent’s availability.
Johnson is most likely going to go with either Keenum or Bagent against New York, though he continued to keep his cards close to the vest through Wednesday’s media session.
“Ben Johnson said ‘the direction’ for who the Bears will start at QB has already been determined for the Jets game without a public declaration on who that is. ‘We’ll be in good shape for Sunday,'” Cronin reported on X.
Bears Share Telling Updates on Ozzy Trapilo, Braxton Jones Ahead of Jets Game