Braxton Jones Has Regressed & Bears Drafted Kiran Amegadjie

Watched the Cards-Chargers game tonight.  I was intrigued by Joe Alt--if you recall, he was the "top tackle" in this draft, was mocked to the Bears several times, but ended up going #5 overall.

Chargers OL really struggled in both pass pro and run blocking tonight, even though the Cards defense is hardly elite.  I also noticed Alt was playing RT, not LT.  Obviously just one game and its early in his career but he wasn't impressive.

Year before the Cards drafted another highly touted OT in the top-10 that had been mocked to the Bears many times--Paris Johnson.  He too hasn't exactly lit it up (though playing LT) either.  He's been kinda like Wright has been for us -- inconsistent, generally solid, but hardly great or an obvious rising star.

I guess I'm just struck by how rare it is to draft a Tackle who just comes in and lights it up right away.

It seems to me that getting a great IOL is much more doable than getting a great LT.  And if you do miss on a T, it isn't always a win sliding the guy to a guard position.  Sometimes that works out.  But sometimes I think the ideal IOL traits don't map so well with tackle ideal traits.  It's just really hard to get a great LT.  I know that I ranted about Braxton Jones, especially after that LA game where he really struggled.  But he has allowed only 1 sack for the season so far.  My point is that I'm going to watch the remaining 11 games before I make up my mind on him.  He is only 6 games into his 3rd season.  As you point out, it is rare for a T go light it up right away.  It is pretty common for offensive linemen in general (even IOL) to take a few years to truly get to their ceiling at the NFL level.  I want to watch the entire season regarding Jones before I throw in the towel on him.  Yes, he does struggle with bull rushes.  I have to believe of all the things that can need fixing in a T, the easiest one in a guy with Jones' physical traits - is fixing the bull rush blocking.  It is a combination of technique and functional football strength at that position.  Honestly, I'd be shocked if he could not fix the problem.  But we'll see.

I rant like a lunatic here about the OL.  But honestly, we may find that we're pretty well off with Braxton Jones as our LT.  Time will tell.  We don't have to have an elite "generational" LT to have a good one and a great OL.  I have compared Brax with Leno in the past, but watching him play this season, that's not accurate.  He is better already than Leno was.  That's not PFF stuff, but just watching the guy play - and the reality check that giving up 1 sack this season isn't the end of the world.  So far this year he has graded out repeatedly as our best OL, FWIW.  The Bears could get 3 stud IOL a lot easier than getting 1 elite LT (may take a number of 1st round attempts to actually get one... and they may never get one because they are hard to land in the draft).  But getting stud level guards and a C is so much more doable.  I'd like to see the Bears get that task done.  Brax and Wright will probably be solid playing with a better IOL.  JMO. 

Since the Rams game, I have been watching Verse.  I know some were high on him during the draft.  He has that rare combination of quickness and strength.  He can speed rush then bull rush on next snap.  He is very strong for a guy listed at 260.  He has about 80 pff grade, which is way better than any Bear DL.  He’s going to be hard for any LT to handle.

Yeah, it’s like saying he had problems with Myles Garrett. Who doesn’t!

But by Garrett’s high standards, it was statistically an “average” game for him. I checked it.  The elite pass rushers ARE going to win some snaps against Brax or anybody else.