Braxton Jones’ Evolution Quietly Hit A New Level In Atlanta

The Chicago Bears‘ offensive line has problems. That isn’t news at this point. Nowhere was that clearer than on the right side against the Atlanta Falcons. Right guard Michael Schofield and right tackle Riley Reiff struggled in pass protection all game long. They were the primary culprits in Justin Fields taking four sacks. When a group struggles, it’s easy to lump everybody in with the lot. In truth, Braxton Jones played arguably his best game of 2022. The 5th round pick was solid again as a run blocker and almost impenetrable in pass protection.

Jones had 11 true pass sets on the afternoon. Those are blocks where he faced a defender one-on-one. He gave up one pressure, no hits, and no sacks. He did the same thing last week against Detroit on 10 true pass sets. In the previous four instances where he had double-digit true pass sets, he gave up at least three pressures every time. Seeing him continue taking steps in the right direction is quite encouraging. Look back at the game and it’s no coincidence some of Fields’ biggest moments were helped by excellent Jones blocks.

Braxton Jones is carving himself a spot in the 2023 starting lineup.

It is remarkable how fast the rookie has come along. Literally a year ago, he was staring down FCS opponents at Southern Utah. He went from that to being the second-best blocker on this offensive line behind Teven Jenkins. Things like that aren’t supposed to happen in the NFL. If he were from Alabama or Ohio State, sure. Those guys have proven themselves against top competition. Jones played mostly guys that have no future in professional football. It doesn’t seem to have mattered. He’s playing at a higher level each time he steps on the field.

Next week will be another big challenge. The New York Jets have one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. They figure to give him 60 minutes of hard work. What nobody knows is whether Braxton Jones will be protecting Fields or Trevor Siemian. Either way, he has to have another strong performance if the Bears are going to pull off any upset. People should not overlook this development. They may have scored a long-term left tackle of the future for cheap. That could change the entire complexion of this rebuild.