Why Bears Put Jedrick Wills Jr. with the Backups to Face Former Team

It's somewhat of a surprise that an experienced first-round pick would be put behind Kiran Amegadjie, but it has nothing to do with facing his former team.

Bears tackleJedrick Wills Jr. gets the chance to face his old team, the Browns on Saturday, but surprisingly it's not as a starter. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The decision to start Kiran Amegadjie over Jedrick Wills Jr. Saturday at left tackle with Braxton Jones out injured might confuse anyone who followed the Bears and the draft in recent years.

It almost makes you wonder if the Bears coaches were worried about putting too much pressure on Wills by starting him against his former team. That's not the case, though.

Wills came into the NFL with Cleveland as a first-round pick from national power Alabama, while Amegadjie was a third-round tackle from FCS school Yale and struggled in his past NFL playing time. Amegadjie has played 126 snaps on offense, all but three at left tackle. But Wills has played 3,686 and all but 12 at left tackle. It seems like an easy decision for Wills to start if he is healthy and Jones is not.

The bad knee injury Wills went through is in his distant past now and he has begun showing he can move people out in the running game in practice but the competition has gone on daily.

Bears coach Ben Johnson clarified what might be holding back Wills a bit, and it's understandable. While Amegadjie has been with the team now into his third year and second in this offense, Wills is playing a bit slower.

Wills is just behind the others

Former Cleveland Browns tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“I think there's an element of that; there is some thinking going on," Johnson said. "The guys that have been around for a year and a half now, certainly I do think the game's slowed down. They're not having to process. They're able to go out there and fly out of their stance and go.

"So, we're working through that right now. With Jed you see the talent. You can go on to one-on-ones, and he does as good as anybody taking a set and punching and keeping guys away from the quarterback. That’s the balancing act is, how much does the talent outweigh the fact that there are a couple things there."

It showed up this past week in practice with Wills in the form of something Johnson dislikes the most.

"We had a couple false starts the other day, things that we have to clean up, because he's thinking about it," Johnson said. "He's in a race right now to get comfortable.”

So, Wills is definitely not starting out that race in the pole position.

“I think we just want to see guys compete," Johnson said. "We want to see guys playing fast. It's all of it. It's run game. It's pass game. I don't think there's anything specific. We want to see consistency, level play and see guys go out there and compete to win the game.”

While this position is critical, Johnson had a surprising comment about his thinking on where the competition has gone.

If you had to make the call today... 👀

KEEP or CUT OT Kiran Amegadjie? 👇#dabears #beardown #NFL #thesickpodcast @adamrank pic.twitter.com/crDS4wuomK

— The Sick Podcast with Adam Rank (@sickpodadamrank) August 14, 2026

“I think we have a great group of guys upstairs (coaches, personnel) that are doing the evaluations," Johnson said. "I think we're going to feel really comfortable about where we're at as a unit going into Game 1. I'm not too concerned about that right now.”

Jones will probably win job anyway

Chicago Bears offensive tackle Braxton Jones. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Where it's all headed seems to be toward Jones eventually starting. He returned to the practice field on a limited basis on Thursday and the Bears will be looking to get him back involved more at Sunday's practice.

Ultimately, it might be Ozzy Trapilo back in there starting after the revelation this week that he is ahead of schedule in rehab from knee surgery.

Johnson said at the outset of camp he hoped this position would be settled by this preseason game Saturday with Cleveland.

The injury to Jones makes it clear it's not over but it could done is soon as he returns. Their assessment of his play to date in camp was positive.

Braxton Jones is BACK at Bears practice👀 pic.twitter.com/q6yQUHJ29U

— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) August 13, 2026

"At the beginning of camp, you saw a better player than you saw last year," offensive line coach Dan Roushar said. "Obviously (last year) he was coming off injury."

Jones had ankle surgery at the end of 2024 and hadn't fully recovered by last training camp. This year there was a real difference.

"But there were a lot more things being connected," Roushar said. "Feet to hands, there was more strength in the play. The pad level is still a concern in the run game. The ability to generate power is always a concern with all of them."

Jones has given Chicago cause to think it's his job.

"We've just got to see if he can put it together day after day after day," Roushar added.

That can only happen if he's on the field playing. Until then, Wills goes through a learning process and Amegadjie gains experience.

Bears OL coach Dan Roushar with an honest assessment of Braxton Jones.

This coaching staff is different. Accountability.
pic.twitter.com/VFNt6OfFGx

— Dave (@davebftv) August 13, 2025

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