Bears' Kiran Amegadjie Gets a Glowing Endorsement Ahead of First Preseason Game

The Chicago Bears have quite the left tackle logjam on their hands, and they soon might be adding another log to the pile. As it stands right now, we've got some insight into how they'll divvy up the reps at left tackle in their preseason matchup against Cleveland on Saturday afternoon.

While speaking to the media today, Ben Johnson confirmed that third-year man Kiran Amegadjie will get the start at left tackle.

"We'll start Kiran [Amegadjie] first quarter and we're looking to alternate him and Jedrick [Wills] throughout that game based on the quarters," Johnson said. "We'll hopefully get an equal number of snaps for those guys and we'll continue to re-assess where we're at at that position as we go."

When asked about what he's seen from Amegadjie, he also added, "I've seen improvement from last year, and yet there's still glimpses of where we need the consistency to be a little bit better. I love where he's at, though. He's working hard. He's got a better understanding of the offense, that's clear. And you can tell his confidence level continues to rise each practice he's out there."

The team released their first official depth chart on Tuesday, and each position had a set starter except left tackle, where Braxton Jones, Jedrick Wills, and Kiran Amegadjie were all separated by "or". It now makes sense why that's the case.

Amegadjie still has time to shed the bust label

Kiran Amegadjie on the practice field — May 10, 2024; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears offensive lineman Kiran Amegadjie (72) during Chicago Bears rookie minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

It would be an understatement to say the first two years of Amegadjie's career have not gone as planned. He has played a total of 125 snaps since being selected in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and they weren't exactly impressive snaps. He was thrown into the fire as a rookie and looked like a turnstile.

We've been somewhat outspoken in our disdain for the way Amegadjie's career has gone through the first two seasons. He hasn't made the cut in either of our 53-man roster predictions through the start of training camp. It's a numbers game, and the Bears have a lot of depth along the offensive line.

However, it's also important to note that he's still only 24 years old. He was always going to be a project coming out of Yale University, and his book is not yet written. With that said, this is his last shot to stick around. The Bears aren't going to roster five offensive tackles, and someone might only be sticking around until Ozzy Trapilo is back in the lineup.

He's not only fighting with Wills and Jones for the starting job, but he also might be battling with Theo Benedet for a roster spot once they activate Trapilo.

The left tackle position is far from decided

Braxton Jones on the practice field — Jul 31, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears offensive tackle Braxton Jones (70) walks on the field during Training Camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

They would ideally like to have a much better stance on the left tackle job at this point in training camp than they currently do. Jones' injury last week threw a wrench into that plan, as he was the clear leader in the clubhouse. His situation has opened the door for Amegadjie and Wills to make up some ground.

The competition is one of the most interesting ones to keep an eye on over the team's three preseason games. It could be a buzzer-beater unless either player falls flat on their face on Saturday.

It'll also remain interesting once Trapilo is back in action. In fact, it's safe to assume the intrigue will really ramp up once that's the case. This isn't exactly an ideal situation for an offense, but it's impossible to argue with their process. They're working hard to get the best starting five on the field.

Add us as a preferred source on Google