Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles weighs in on left tackle outlook

The Chicago Bears have a left tackle problem. At least, it appears that way.

Despite an entire training camp and three preseason games, it appears that coach Ben Johnson still isn't any closer to identifying his starting left tackle than he was when the offseason began.

Veteran Braxton Jones is expected to start Week 1's Monday night game against the Minnesota Vikings, but the Bears are a long ways away from naming him the starter. It's become a week-to-week proposition for now, and that's never a good approach to the most important position on the offensive line.

General manager Ryan Poles sat down for a recent interview with the Chicago Tribune, and he offered some insight into the left tackle situation.

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles looks on before the game — Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

"They’re all on different planes, and that’s been the most challenging part of it," Poles said. "So you have Braxton, and you’re trying to evaluate a guy that’s coming back from a pretty significant injury. And then looking at last year’s tape as kind of the bar, can he get to that point and better? But he’s not quite there yet. He’s closing in on it."

"But then the person he’s competing with (Trapilo) is a person that’s never played in the league versus Kiran, who didn’t have his first year, coming from a smaller school (Amegadjie missed most of the 2024 offseason after an injury at Yale). And then Theo enters the conversation, who from a length standpoint may not have everything but from a foot speed and toughness (standpoint) has a lot of things that you like."

Poles' breakdown paints a pretty ominous picture, doesn't it? A guy who isn't 100% healthy, a rookie, a small-schooler, and a player who doesn't have tackle measurables.

Yep, not great.

The only thing we do know about this group of left tackles is that Braxton Jones has consistently punched above his fifth-round draft pedigree throughout his first three years in the NFL. His ankle injury is an obvious concern, but he's proven during the preseason that he's at least healthy enough for the start of the regular season.

Jones isn't an elite left tackle. He struggles against power rushers and probably won't be re-signed at the end of this season. But it certainly seems he's like the best the Bears can field at this point.

"Right now we just want one of those guys to take it and play free and not to lose the job but to take the job," Poles said. "(That’s) what we’re looking for as we go down the stretch here."

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