Shuffle Gets Rookie Tackle Involved

The offensive line experimentation reached a different level this week at OTAs as rookie Braxton Jones played left tackle with starters.

The Bears haven't etched this week's offensive line moves in stone or anywhere else.

However, an interesting move for the final week of OTAs as an experiment shows at least how they are not ignoring the rookies they drafted on the offensive line.

Fifth-round, 6-foot-6 tackle Braxton Jones and his 83- 1/2-inch wingspan lined up at left tackle with starters in Wednesday's OTA work, while Larry Borom moved over to right tackle and Teven Jenkins became the odd man out, with backups.

They also put Dakota Dozier in at right guard all practice ahead of Sam Mustipher and for a few plays even had rookie Doug Kramer snapping with the first team instead of former Packers center Lucas Patrick.

"So, we're just trying to find the best combinations of people, especially when you're looking at the offensive line," coach Matt Eberflus said. "Who's the best five guys out there so we can succeed? And it creates competition when you do that, you know when you're moving guys around.

"Who can function at different spots and who can really execute?"

Until Wednesday, though, the experimenting on the offensive line's first string had been limited to veterans at right guard. Mustipher and Dozier alternated there. Now it has expanded as rookies have settled in.

"So it's the halfway point for us, right?" Eberflus said, referring to offseason work. "So we had six practices and then we got six to seven to go at that point when we made the switch and we wanted to change combinations and that's not the only we've changed, from tackle to tackle.

"We've moved some receivers around. Some guys are playing X. Some guys are playing Z. We've adjusted some guys on the defensive line just to really find out, have a true evaluation of what's the best fit for us going into training camp."

True enough, but when the Bears moved receivers like Equanimeous St. Brown and Byron Pringle around the formation it is more of a plan than experiment. Receivers in the offense are all supposed to be versatile and line up all over the field, according to offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.

As for the defensive line, there really wasn't much experimenting. 

They put rookie Dominique Robinson inside at three technique pass rusher in some full squad passing drill reps but this defensive scheme does make use of ends at tackle in obvious passing situations, anyway. And Robinson had plenty of chances to line up with ones or the second team at end because Robert Quinn wasn't there. Neither was tackle Mario Edwards Jr., who had made his first-offseason appearance two weeks ago.

The offensive line was the interesting one.

"We might like the other combination, we might like this combination," Eberflus said. "We might not like either one of them."

Offensive linemen talk so much about gaining continuity together that it's easy to wonder at what point the experimenting needs to stop so the line can play cohesively.

"Yeah, I mean, as we all know the offensive line forever changes," left guard Cody Whitehair said. "You know, there's injuries, there's all sorts of things but the one thing they have been apparent with us is they're going to play the best five and you know that's what we want. We want that competition. We want to bring out the best in every player.

"So you know, that's all you can ask for and the guys have responded really well. You know, they're giving great effort, they're really doing good things out there."

While Whitehair totally hedged whe asked about this, he did admit there are things to like about Jones, who played at Southern Utah State.

"Braxton is a tough kid, very athletic," Whitehair said. "He's got really long arms, as well. He's learning.

"You know, as hard as that is to be thrown in the fire like that, I feel like he has responded well and I'm excited to see what he can bring."

Practice High and Lowlights

Everything didn't go smoothly for Jones. The Bears were running full-squad in two-minute mode and he false-started.

He wasn't the only one committing mistakes. Justin Fields threw a deflected pass and it floated into the air and then back to DeAndre Houston-Carson for the pick. He was playing with Eddie Jackson not at practice. ... Fields did look impressive running the scramble drill a few times for completions before the false start and pick. ... In what might catch coaches' eyes as they watch practice film, rookie Trestan Ebner ran an elongated route in the seam and then plucked a pass with his hands instead of relying on his body, the way even some receivers do. He looked not like a receiving back, but like a legit wide receiver.

Cyclists

David Moore, Elijah Hicks and Jack Sanborn were riding stationary bikes along the end zone wall in the Payton Center rather than participating.

Also in attendance but not participating was defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad. This is his first week at Halas Hall after missing all the other voluntary work.

Back in RCB Saddle

Jaylon Johnson returned to play with the first team at right cornerback after he supposedly had been working on his conditioning when he rejoined the team. Apparently second team requires less running? 

Eberflus had some nice things to say about Johnson, but the truth was rookie Kyler Gordon had been playing ahead of him two weeks ago and Gordon wasn't at Wednesday's practice. So Johnson had to be next up. 

Eberflus invoked the "it's offseason so I don't have to tell" clause when asked about Gordon's absence,  but then said: "So, he's in the building and that's all I can say at this time."

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