Bears Insider Names Longtime Starter Team’s Biggest Trade Candidate
The Chicago Bears’ decision to bench left tackle Braxton Jones in favor of Theo Benedet may have signaled more than just a lineup change — it could have been the beginning of the end of the offensive lineman’s time in Chicago.
With the trade deadline approaching on November 4 and several teams across the league looking for offensive line help, the former starter’s name is one that could draw legit interest.
The decision to start Benedet Week 6 was one that had been building for months. Chicago announced the move before Monday Night Football — a clear sign that the organization’s long-term plans at left tackle may no longer include the former fifth-round pick.
In his October 16 column, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune named Jones the team’s most likely trade candidate.
Brad Biggs: Chicago Bears Could Make LT Braxton Jones Available Before 2025 Trade Deadline
GettyBears left tackle Braxton Jones has been named the team’s top trade candidate heading into the 2025 deadline.
“Don’t completely discount the idea the Bears could trade a player,” Biggs wrote. “If a team has a need for an experienced offensive tackle, maybe Braxton Jones could be available. That would leave second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo as the swing tackle. Jones would be a rental because he’s in a contract year, so the return would be small, but in a world where everyone wants to talk about potential moves, there’s another idea to file away.”
Jones could very likely draw significant interest. Through Week 6 of 2025, he has started 44 games over his four years before getting benched.
Injuries have likely been at least a minor factor leading to his benching. Jones suffered a fractured left ankle in December 2024, ending his season after 12 starts. Lower-limb injuries are extremely difficult to rehab for offensive linemen in particular, and it’s clear Jones’ ramp up period gave other players — like Benedet — ample opportunity to impress and improve.
Why Some Teams Could See Value in Jones
Jones had logged roughly 2,700 offensive snaps in the regular season since entering the league — 1,034 in 2022, 730 in 2023, 720 in 2024, and about 210 so far in 2025. He’s also still playing on the final year of his rookie deal.
Jones’ contract situation makes him appealing. He’s in the final year of his rookie deal with a 2025 cap hit of about $3.7 million — a bargain for a starting-caliber left tackle.
What would that cost? Jones’ trade value likely sits in the Day 3 range — perhaps a 2026 sixth-round pick that could escalate to a fifth based on playing time, or a player-for-player swap that addresses a Bears roster need at cornerback, edge or right tackle.
Emergence of Theo Benedet Also Hurt Jones
For Chicago, trading Jones would clear the way for Benedet to develop, while also netting a future asset for a player likely to hit free agency anyway.
It’s clear first-year head coach Ben Johnson and his offensive staff see something in Benedet, a former Canadian standout who went undrafted last year.
“The Bears have put no ceiling on Benedet because he has proved to be a really diligent learner,” Biggs also noted, adding:
“A new coaching staff had no preconceived notions of a player it didn’t know anything about. Benedet was the last of four options to get into the left tackle competition in training camp, and to this point, he has emerged as the one the team likes the most. As long as Benedet is starting, he’s an option for the future at the position. It’s something the Bears will need a lot more tape to legitimately evaluate.”
Whether the Bears want to keep Jones around for depth or try to get a future pick for him remains to be seen, but it’s clear Chicago doesn’t view him as highly as Benedet right now.
Broncos QB Bo Nix Sends Fitting 3-Word Message Before Titans Game
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, ready to get his second NFL regular season underway with the Tennessee Titans on deck, shared a short, to-the-point message.
Nix is coming off a record-setting season and has received high praise for his poise and progress as a rookie. However, that has set a high new level of expectation for Nix and the Broncos after a busy offseason.
The only way for Nix to disprove his remaining doubters is to win, and he is eager to get going.
Bo Nix Sends Fitting Message Before Broncos Face Titans
Nix completed 66.3% of his passes for 3,775 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 2024, adding another 430 yards and 4 TDs on 92 carries. Whatever Nix has in store for an encore, it will begin against the Titans.
“See y’all Sunday,” Nix captioned a set of pictures posted on Instagram on September 5.
Among the commenters in the replies was Nix’s wife, Izzy, who said, “YAY!”
Also in the comment section on the Broncos QB’s post? Nix’s backup, veteran Jarrett Stidham, who preceded the second-year QB in Denver but returned in free agency this past offseason to serve as the Broncos’ QB2.
“LFG!!!” Stidham said, offering a brief reminder of just how close the Broncos’ QB room was with him, Nix, and Zach Wilson, now of the Miami Dolphins.
Bo Nix Set to Join Noteworthy Trio in NFL History
Nix’s message sets the scene for yet another rare accomplishment, in which the 12th overall pick of the 2024 draft again joins Broncos legend Peyton Manning in the annals of NFL history.
“With 25+ passing touchdowns this year, Bo Nix will become just the 4th QB in NFL history to have 25 passing TDs in each of the first two seasons of career,” DNVR Broncos’ Zac Stevens posted on X on September 6.
“He will join Peyton Manning, Russell Wilson and Justin Herbert.”
Manning has been effusive with praise for Nix, not just for his play, but also for settling the Broncos’ quarterback position that had seen consistent turnover since his retirement in 2015.
“Bo is made of the right stuff. He’s a little bit older, carries himself the right way. And all of it should help as he moves forward in his career,” Manning said, per The Denver Post’s Troy Renck on September 1. “I am just happy that Bo is the established starter. For a number of years, they had quarterback competitions. That’s hard on the receivers, the coaches, the play-caller, and the quarterback. Now, they’ve got their guy.”
Bo Nix Poised to Take Another Step Forward in 2025
Nix is the first Broncos quarterback since Manning to lead the team to the postseason, bookending a list that includes Russell Wilson, who is now with the New York Giants. He aims to become the first to win a playoff game since Manning (also in 2015) this season.
Whether or not he will succeed remains to be seen.
Still, Nix, who has the backing of former New Orleans Saints star and Sean Payton favorite Drew Brees, is well on his way to being the best quarterback he can be in short order.
