There weren’t any major twists in the Chicago Bears‘ left tackle competition last year. Most expected Braxton Jones to be the starter, and that is how it played out. Of course, he didn’t last long before getting benched. Still, expectations were mostly the same going into training camp this year. Jones was getting a large just of the first-team reps, with Jedrick Wills and Kiran Amegadjie soaking up the remainder. Then, as has too often become the case, Jones got hurt. During a 1-on-1 blocking drill against Austin Booker, he injured his knee.
Jones left practice early and hasn’t returned for days. While the injury isn’t considered season-ending, it has opened the door for Wills and Amegadjie to gain some momentum. Could one of them take advantage? Head coach Ben Johnson dropped a minor bombshell during his latest press conference. Jones will not play in the preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns. Instead, it will be Amegadjie who gets the start with the first-team offense. This is a pretty significant departure from how many thought the competition would go.
Kiran Amegadjie really came from nowhere.
Even before camp began, most believed Jones was the favorite and Wills, a former top 10 pick, would be his primary competition. Amegadjie was a complete afterthought, and justifiably so. The former 3rd round pick didn’t accomplish much as a rookie in 2024, and then suffered injury setbacks early last year. That took him out of the competition before it had even begun. To many, it was a small miracle he was even still on the roster. Now here he is, starting the preseason opener with a massive opportunity to create distance from the other challengers.
How did it get to this point? Coach Johnson indicated that the full-contact practice on Tuesday would determine much about the Bears’ plans. Based on scattered reports, Wills had some nice moments but committed two false starts. His pass protection was also an issue. Amegadjie, while hardly perfect himself, committed fewer egregious mistakes. That is probably what tipped the scales in his favor. Consistency has been the buzzword for Johnson every time he’s been asked about the competition.
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Were the draft experts right?
Two years ago, when Kiran Amegadjie was coming out of Yale, most evaluators said the same thing. His physical tools were excellent: size, power, mobility, and length. The big sticking point was his polish. Amegadjie spent his college career playing less than first-rate competition in the Ivy League. He never really had to learn the craft of blocking top defensive linemen because his sheer physical ability made it unnecessary. He would not get away with that in the NFL. This meant one thing.
The kid was a project.
It would take him a couple of years to master the true craft of blocking. Could he do that and, more importantly, would the Bears give him enough time to learn? There were some close calls along the way, but he stayed on the roster long enough to get a strong education from offensive line coach Dan Roushar. This, along with some lessons from former All-Pro Terron Armstead, seems to have advanced him enough to be a real position to start for this team. What a story that would be.
