Bear Digest

Braxton Jones' Season-Ending Injury Means Left Tackle Questions

The Bears have lost left tackle Braxton Jones for the season due to an ankle injury and now must decide on playing Kiran Amegadjie or Larry Borom at the position.
Gene Chamberlain|
Left tackle Braxton Jones' season is over after an ankle injury requiring surgery.
Left tackle Braxton Jones' season is over after an ankle injury requiring surgery. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The Bears passing game looked more formidable earlier Sunday than in recent games.

That didn’t mean a strong start but at least two touchdown passes in the second quarter was better than they’d produced for three straight games.

Doing it  again might be more difficult going forward because of the pass blocking.

They have lost left tackle Braxton Jones for the season due to an ankle injury that requires surgery.  They’re also uncertain about left guard Teven Jenkins’ availability becuase he left the game after aggravating a calf injury. With a Thursday game coming, Jenkins will have little time to heal.

Lack of continuity with the line positions has been a big factor in Caleb Williams taking a league-high 60 sacks this season.

Filling the tackle position could mean starting Larry Borom or going back to third-round rookie Kiran Amegadjie, who struggled in his last start for Jones.

Interim coach Thomas Brown on Monday would tip which way he’ll go at tackle but said Amegadjie went from starting to inactive for Sunday’s game because of Borom’s ability and not his own struggles.

“Yeah, so obviously that decision was based off of Larry’s versatility because Larry can play on both sides, plays right and left,” Brown said.

If Amegadjie had been active and there had been an injury at right tackle Sunday, he would have been playing a spot he hasn’t played.

“Kiran has been a left tackle,” Brown said. “As far as O-line being a developing position, the more opportunities you have guys being versatile and playing different spots. But we’ll see how the week goes and we’ll give all guys an opportunity to go compete.”

Jake Curhan replaced Jenkins in the loss to Detroit.

Nah, I would say the entire offense is the reason for the slow starts. So I think it’s not just one position or one person. Unfortunately at times guys have taken turns not doing things properly, not being detailed enough. Obviously penalties haven’t always been the biggest issue but of late have been the issue but I wouldn’t just put it on the O-line. No. I wouldn’t do that.

Brown is in no rush to put rookies or other backups on the field for the sake of looking at talent, even though the last two games are as meaningless as Sunday’s was.

“The guys, whether it be first year, second year, fifth year or Keenan in his 12th year, if you give us the best shot to go play football well and go win games, we’ll give you that opportunity,” Brown said. “I think it’s less about trying to figure out how to look at guys for the unforeseen future and it’s more about what gives us the best opportunity right now.”

There’s no doubt about the unforeseen future because of the uncertainty at coach and also at several positions on offense.

Jenkins is a free agent after this season, as are center Coleman Shelton, guard Matt Pryor, Borom and wide receiver Keenan Allen.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.