Everybody knew a battle at left tackle was on the docket for the Chicago Bears training camp. It became necessary after Ozzy Trapilo injured his knee in the playoffs at the end of last season. If you asked fans and media who the favorites were to claim the job, most would say Braxton Jones, who is returning on a one-year deal, followed by overachieving former undrafted free agent Theo Benedet and former 1st round pick Jedrick Wills. Even general manager Ryan Poles mentioned those three. The one he didn’t mention was Kiran Amegadjie.
You can understand why. The former 3rd round pick didn’t accomplish much through his first two years with the team. He failed to make an impression as a rookie in 2024. Then last season, he dealt with injury problems that knocked him out of the competition early. Expectations for him coming into camp were less than zero. So you can imagine the shock when he lined up with the starting offense for team drills on Friday.
It wasn’t a complete disaster, either. By most accounts, Amegadjie got almost all of the reps, and Caleb Williams looked sharp, finding his targets consistently for chunk gains.
Kiran Amegadjie was always a project.
Even when the Bears drafted him, Poles admitted as much. They knew the Yale left tackle was raw in several areas of his game. They selected him more out of what he could become than what he was. Sure, they’d hoped he might progress faster than he has, but it was accepted that he might not mature into something real for a couple of years. This would be right on time for him. Granted, getting some first-team reps in a non-padded practice doesn’t signal anything at this point. You have to prove it in live reps.
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Still, that head coach Ben Johnson is giving him any such reps at all is a signal that the Bears believe he has a real shot at competing for the job. Talent has never been the issue with Kiran Amegadjie. He has the size, length, and athleticism of an NFL left tackle. It was always about learning the more intricate fundamentals and techniques required for this level. He wasn’t getting any of that in the Ivy League. His first year certainly didn’t help with the subpar coaching under Matt Eberflus and his staff.
The biggest test is still to come.
Amegadjie getting the opportunity is one thing. Taking advantage of it is another. Can he consistently put together good reps in pads against guys like Montez Sweat and Austin Booker in practice after practice? That is what Johnson and offensive line coach Dan Roushar are looking for. Having two or three good snaps means nothing if you’re allowing a sack on another. They need somebody they can depend on in one-on-one battles for stretches of a game. The last thing they want is a left tackle who constantly needs help from tight ends and running backs.
We will likely have answers on this by the time of the first preseason game. Whoever is the starter for that will be considered the current favorite for the job. Right now, Jones remains the betting choice. He’s the most experienced of the group and is reportedly the healthiest he’s been in years. Wills is the most talented as a former top 10 pick. Yet Amegadjie has always had the tools. He also knows the offense. If the light really has gone on, he is a real threat.
