Ben Johnson Says One Thing Will Decide The Left Tackle Competition
The Chicago Bears appear to have four of five offensive line spots locked down before the start of training camp. Darnell Wright remains the right tackle while Jonah Jackson, Drew Dalman, and Joe Thuney secure the three interior spots. The one job unaccounted for is left tackle. Braxton Jones still hasn’t returned to practice from his fractured tibia last season. The initial belief is that he may also not be there to start training camp. That leaves the door wide open for somebody else to take the job. Former 3rd round pick Kiran Amegadjie and 2nd round pick Ozzy Trapilo are well-positioned to do just that. Head coach Ben Johnson has the final say on who it will be.
What people don’t know is how he will evaluate the competition. What are the parameters and priorities? One must imagine there is a certain way Johnson wants these guys to play. In truth, the head coach kept it simple when asked during his first press conference at mandatory minicamps. There is nothing complicated about this. He will give the job to whoever he believes is the best pass protector. Keeping Caleb Williams upright is the priority.
Ben Johnson continues to show how abundant he is in common sense.
Games and seasons are often decided by how well the blind side of a quarterback is protected. It isn’t a coincidence that the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl and Kansas City. Look at their left tackle situations. Philly had Jordan Mailata, an established Pro Bowler. K.C. had Joe Thuney, a career left guard, forced to move outside due to injuries. The Eagles exploited that matchup all night. Ben Johnson knows that if he plans to get Williams off the ground, he must ensure his protection is handled. Jones may have the advantage in this category. He was having his best season pass pro last year before his injury, allowing 26 pressures in 471 snaps. Amegadjie and Trapilo have little or no experience against NFL competition. That means they must show something in camp against some good defensive ends, otherwise Johnson’s decision will be obvious.