Bear Digest

Protecting Caleb Williams' Blind Side Just Got Much Tougher

Bears starting left tackle Braxton Jones had an apparent concussion from practice and is not in Minneapolis with the team for Monday night's game.

Gene Chamberlain

Left tackle Braxton Jones will miss Monday's game due to a concussion.
Left tackle Braxton Jones will miss Monday's game due to a concussion. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
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The Bears lost a starter Sunday without even playing.

It has been determined left tackle Braxton Jones has a concussion and he did not make the trip to Minneapolis with the team.

There was no explanation offered when this happened or how by the team but it's likely a practice injury and not from last week's game since Jones was practicing during the week.

They could handle the injury a few different ways as they decide how to protect Caleb Williams' blind side against the blitzing Vikings defense of Brian Flores.

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They could start Larry Borom, who has 25 starts in his four NFL seasons. They could also put either Jake Curhan or Matt Pryor there, although Pryor seems less of an option because it would mean losing a starter at another spot. Borom had two starts at left tackle earlier this year when Jones was injured.

The other answer is playing rookie third-round pick Kiran Amegadjie, who is now healthy. Amegadjie got over a surgery from last year and then had a calf injury but was not on the injury report. He has played 58 snaps on offense this season.

The Bears also announced they had elevated running back Darrynton Evans from the practice squad via standard elevation. Evans will provide depth in case D'Andre Swift can't play or is injured on Monday. Swift is questionable for the game but Bears interim coach Thomas Brown expressed optimism he'd play.

Running back Roschon Johnson is still in the concussion protocol and backup Travis Homer is available and healthy after being injured in last week's game but practicing all week.

Twitter: BearsOnSi

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.