Braxton Jones came to the Bears as an unheralded fifth-round draft pick from Southern Utah and ended up not only starting every game but playing all 1,034 offensive snaps this season.
“It’s been a really fun ride,” Jones said.
But as much as he enjoyed the ride, there might not be a Bears player more looking forward to the offseason and the chance to get better. From his very first games of the regular season, Jones identified a weakness against the bull rush that opposing lineman seized upon and never let up.
“That’s the most simple move,” Jones said. “People usually go from doing a ghost move or a cross-chops to then bull-rushing. But people started out with bull-rushing me. It will just eliminated those things and I’ll be able to open up my arsenal a little bit. So after this offseason ti will be super important. I’ve talked about it all season — I need to go into the offseason and get stronger.”
There are many nuances to developing as an NFL offensive lineman, and solving the bull-rush issue might not be a cure-all for Jones or the Bears pass protection issues. But regardless of how well he played as a rookie, Jones has to be significantly better in 2023 for him to fully establish himself as the long-term answer at left tackle and give the Bears a chance to take a giant leap to playoff contention after a 3-14 season in 2022.
Therein likes a key element to the Bears’ rebuild that often gets overshadowed — growth from within. The draft and free agency are the marquee avenues to improvement — especially with the No. 1 overall pick and a league-leading $118.1 million in salary-cap space for 2023. But player development can make a difference, and the Bears are counting on some key rookie pieces of the foundation they laid this season to be a big part of the rebuild.
Jones, in fact, was one of three rookies to start 14 or more games, one of seven rookies to start six or more games and one of nine rookies who played enough snaps to be considered candidates for a bigger role or make a bigger impact next season.
Safety Jaquan Brisker and cornerback Kyler Gordon — the Bears’ two second-round draft picks in 2022 — top that list. Wide receiver Velus Jones, the Bear’s third-round pick in 2022, was a disappointment early in the season, but finished strong.
Defensive end Dominique Robinson faded after opening with 1.5 sacks in his NFL debut in the opener against the 49ers. But he’s still an intriguing project with his athleticism and now 550 NFL snaps to build upon.
Linebacker Jack Sanborn had 54 tackles in his first five starts after Roquan Smith was traded, before injuring his ankle against the Eagles. And three other back-ups — cornerbacks Jaylon Jones and Josh Blackwell and safety Elijah Hicks — were impressive enough in starting roles to warrant a better look in 2023.
As for Jones, he’ll go into the offseason knowing exactly what he needs to work on.
“It’s not going to happen overnight, but I think it’s definitely fixable,” Jones said. “It’s not like I’m light years way from where I need to be. It’s just a combination of a lot of things I’ve never had before.”
So for Jones, his rookie season was a good start. But next year is a bigger one in terms of solidifying himself at left (or right) tackle.
“I don’t make those decisions,” he said. “But I’m here for the long run. I love the position I’m in. I think this offseason’s going to be great for me to lock down that position. I can play the biggest role in making the decision, but it’s not my decisions. But I’m going to do everything I can to get that locked down for sure.”