Ben Johnson's latest Bears left tackle update raises concern with Week 1 approaching

Johnson acknowledged Tuesday that left tackle remains one of the Bears' biggest unresolved issues, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

"It's a hot spot for us," Johnson said of the position, adding that the Bears are not 100% sold on who will start at left tackle in Week 1.

Chicago has spent essentially the entire summer searching for an answer, and while Braxton Jones recently appeared to move into the lead, Johnson isn't quite ready to declare the competition over.

Braxton Jones hasn't secured Bears' left tackle job

Jones returned to first-team left tackle duties last week, with Theo Benedet moving to the second team. Johnson said at the time that the competition remained "wide open."

Saturday's preseason loss to the Cincinnati Bengals didn't provide Jones with the statement performance he needed.

Jones started with the first-team offense but was called for holding on Chicago's opening possession. The penalty erased a Roschon Johnson run that would have given the Bears first-and-goal from the Cincinnati 7-yard line. Instead, the drive stalled and ended with a Cairo Santos field goal.

That one penalty won't determine the competition, but it didn't help Jones seize a job that remains unsettled. His struggles against power rushers didn't help, either.

Consistency is what Johnson is looking for. Earlier in camp, the Bears coach said he wanted to identify the tackle who could most consistently handle defensive ends one-on-one and execute the backside responsibilities in Chicago's wide-zone running game.

So far, no good.

Bears have a big few days ahead at left tackle

Jones and Benedet have emerged as the primary contenders recently, while Jedrick Wills Jr. and Kiran Amegadjie were moved to the right side after Johnson reshuffled the competition. Ozzy Trapilo's remarkable recovery has added another variable, although it's unclear whether Trapilo is really in the competition yet.

I'd expect the 2025 second-round pick to emerge sometime closer to the end of September.

The Bears close the preseason against the Tennessee Titans, giving Johnson one final opportunity to evaluate his options before the season kicks off for real against the Carolina Panthers on September 13.

Chicago's offensive line otherwise has plenty of stability. Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, and Darnell Wright are fantastic, and Garrett Bradbury is a solid addition after Drew Dalman's sudden retirement.

Unfortunately, left tackle remains the big question.

Johnson calling the position a "hot spot" this close to the regular season makes one thing clear: Braxton Jones may be leading the competition, but he hasn't won it.