Bears’ LT Braxton Jones will undergo surgery for a broken ankle

The Bears selected Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft and upgraded their new rookie quarterback’s weapons last offseason. But offensive line continuity — an underrated piece of the Bears’ offensive puzzle — is a problem the Bears just can’t seem to solve.

The ever-changing door continues this week as left tackle Braxton Jones is out for the season and will undergo surgery after breaking his ankle in a 34-17 loss to the Lions on Sunday.

It is Jones’ third serious injury this season. He suffered a knee injury against the Commanders and missed the following two games against the Cardinals and Patriots. He missed the Vikings game on December 16 due to a concussion.

Jones suffered the ankle injury when his left leg bent awkwardly beneath him as Lions defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike fell on top of him as Williams completed a 13-yard completion to Rome Odunze to set up a four-and-three. to transform the situation. His leg was placed in an air cast and he was carried off the pitch on a cart, to fans cheering with a thumbs up as he left the pitch. Veteran Larry Borom replaced him.

Jones, a fifth-round draft pick by general manager Ryan Poles in 2022, started at left tackle in Week 1 of his rookie season and played all 1,074 offensive snaps. But he missed six games last season with a neck injury and will miss five this season.

Jones’ injury occurred just nine games after left guard Teven Jenkins left the Lions’ game with an aggravation of a calf injury that made him questionable. Jake Curhan replaced Jenkins against the Lions, but interim coach Thomas Brown was hopeful Jenkins could play against the Seahawks.

Either Borom or rookie Kiran Amegadjie will start for Jones against the Seahawks. According to Brown, Jenkins is officially day-to-day, but with the Bears playing the Seahawks on Thursday night, time is already running out.

The injuries were typical of the Bears’ offensive line continuity problem that has characterized general manager Ryan Poles’ three-year tenure. The Bears have already used six different starting offensive line combinations in 15 games this season (there will be seven if Curhan starts for Jenkins against the Seahawks) and 21 different combinations overall.

(In 2022, the Bears had nine different starting lineups and used a total of 21 different combinations; in 2023, they had nine different starting lineups and used a total of 16 different combinations.)

In fact, the Bears’ starting offense has only played the entire game five times this season (not counting late-game changes in the form of blowouts). The Bears have used four players at left tackle, five at left guard, two at center, three at right guard and four at right tackle this season.

Offensive line continuity — and performance — is likely to be an issue Poles will focus on in the offseason when he returns in 2025. The Bears have more than just a continuity problem. Only Wright – the 10th pick of the 2023 draft – is a guaranteed goalie for 2025.

“I think health plays a big role,” Brown said when asked about the offensive line’s struggles this season. “When you have different moving pieces – people playing in several different places, left side, right side, start, reverse… that makes it difficult.”

But Brown added that the Bears’ habit of falling behind – including 20-0, 13-0, 24-0 and 16-0 in their last four games – has compounded the offensive line problem.

“I don’t care who you’re playing with on the perimeter,” Brown said, “it’s hard to always protect guys when you know it’s familiar passing scenarios and you’re several points behind.” That also gives these guys more exposure.”

NOTE: Running back Travis Homer, who was inactive for the Lions game after suffering his hamstring injury during practice Friday, is day-to-day, Brown said.